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Pioneer of Change: America Reyes Wang Makes NASA Space Biology More Open
Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:00:00 +0000
As humans return to the Moon and push on toward Mars, scientists are ramping up research into the effects of space on the body to make sure astronauts stay healthy on longer missions. This research often involves spaceflight studies of rodents, insects, and other models in orbiting laboratories such as the International Space Station. However, […]
Match ID: 0 Score: 30.00 source: science.nasa.gov age: 0 days
qualifiers: 15.00 climate change, 15.00 carbon
NASA Stennis Completes Key Test Complex Water System Upgrade
Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:59:48 +0000
For almost 60 years, NASA’s Stennis Space Center has tested rocket systems and engines to help power the nation’s human space exploration dreams. Completion of a critical water system infrastructure project helps ensure the site can continue that frontline work moving forward. “The infrastructure at NASA Stennis is absolutely critical for rocket engine testing for […]
Match ID: 1 Score: 30.00 source: www.nasa.gov age: 0 days
qualifiers: 15.00 climate change, 15.00 carbon
Thousands of toxins from food packaging found in humans – research
Fri, 27 Sep 2024 11:00:10 GMT
Metals and PFAS linked to serious health issues are among compounds found, highlighting need for further scrutiny
More than 3,600 chemicals approved for food contact in packaging, kitchenware or food processing equipment have been found in humans, new peer-reviewed research has found, highlighting a little-regulated exposure risk to toxic substances.
The chemicals have been found in human blood, hair or breast milk. Among them are compounds known to be highly toxic, like PFAS, bisphenol, metals, phthalates and volatile organic compounds. Many are linked to cancer, hormone disruption and other serious health issues.
Continue reading...Calling out the racist element in her fan base is no small burden, but with Caitlin Clark’s great fame comes great responsibility. If her words can limit hate, staying silent just isn’t an option
After the Connecticut Sun defeated Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night, knocking the rookie and her teammates out of the WNBA playoffs, Alyssa Thomas wanted to speak. The All-Star forward called out the hate that Sun players have faced from sections of the Fever fanbase, saying the racist abuse she has witnessed was unprecedented in her 11-year career.
“Basketball is headed in a great direction, but we don’t want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial names,” she said. “Something needs to be done, whether it’s them checking their fans or this league checking, there’s no time for it any more.”
Continue reading...Heart-wrenching story adapted from Amy Liptrot’s memoir is as tough as its Orkney landscapes
The title means an outlying coastal piece of farmland on Orkney; it is not suitable for cultivation, but so continually windswept with Atlantic spray that its grass stays short as if naturally tended, and so functions metaphorically in various ways. It could be a wholesome, bracing, healing place for troubled city dwellers; or a place whose restorative quality is an illusion, a place every bit as violent and mysteriously destructive as the city; or it could even somehow stand for the actual person who has come there, the low-functioning addict, shaped and flattened by forces all but impossible to outrun.
Saoirse Ronan is outstanding in this painful, involving addiction-recovery drama, directed by Nora Fingscheidt and adapted by Fingscheidt and Amy Liptrot from Liptrot’s own 2017 memoir of the same title and co-produced by Ronan with her husband Jack Lowden. Ronan plays Rona, a young woman born in Orkney who has been living in London as a postgrad student, where her joy in her freedom has been succeeded by alcohol abuse and depression. Her relationship with the tender, caring Daynin (Paapa Essiedu) is poisoned by her toxic addiction and she gets into a terrifyingly vulnerable and violent situation.
Continue reading...Readers respond to an editorial about the chancellor dismissing a return to austerity in her speech to Labour conference
Your leading article was right to highlight the challenge that the chancellor faces in demonstrating fiscal responsibility while reviving the economy (23 September). As it pointed out, the London School of Economics published a report in January – of which I was a co-author – that made a compelling case for an increase in annual public investment of about £26bn per year, equivalent to 1% of GDP, to jolt UK productivity and economic growth out of its rut. This would pull the UK out of bottom place in the G7 league table for public investment, and would promote confidence in private investors that having skin in the game would mean the government would provide supportive policies to ensure healthy long-term returns.
Our report made a further case that the strongest returns would be secured from green investment that accelerates the transition to a sustainable, inclusive and resilient economy by tackling even more effectively damage from climate change, biodiversity loss and other environmental degradation, including air and water pollution.
Continue reading...Industrial civilisation is close to breaching a seventh planetary boundary, and may already have crossed it, according to scientists who have compiled the latest report on the state of the world’s life-support systems. They say ocean acidification is close to critical threshold, posing a threat to marine ecosystems and global liveability. Ian Sample speaks to Prof Helen Findlay, a biological oceanographer at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, to find out why the oceans have reached this state, and whether there is anything we can do to reverse the damage.
Earth may have breached seven of nine planetary boundaries, health check shows
Continue reading...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.
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.
For the first time in more than 30 years, the Council of UC Faculty Associations filed a formal complaint against the UC system.
The post California Professors Fight Back Against Violent Repression of Palestine Protest appeared first on The Intercept.
Maura Finkelstein was terminated by Muhlenberg College for an Instagram repost.
The post Meet the First Tenured Professor to Be Fired for Pro-Palestine Speech appeared first on The Intercept.
Moderate faces challenges over cost-of-living crisis, public trust and threats to regional stability from China and North Korea
Shigeru Ishiba’s determination to lead Japan has never been in question, and now the veteran MP is poised to achieve that goal at the fifth time of asking after winning the race to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP) on Friday.
The 67-year-old will be installed as Japan’s new prime minister on Tuesday by the LDP-controlled parliament.
Continue reading...Israel’s brazen attacks on Hezbollah last week, in which hundreds of pagers and two-way radios exploded and killed at least 37 people, graphically illustrated a threat that cybersecurity experts have been warning about for years: Our international supply chains for computerized equipment leave us vulnerable. And we have no good means to defend ourselves.
Though the deadly operations were stunning, none of the elements used to carry them out were particularly new. The tactics employed by Israel, which has neither confirmed nor denied any role, to hijack an international supply chain and embed plastic explosives in Hezbollah devices have been used for years. What’s new is that Israel put them together in such a devastating and extravagantly public fashion, bringing into stark relief what the future of great power competition will look like—in peacetime, wartime and the ever expanding ...
Australia’s REA makes fourth proposal to buy British property portal and urges Rightmove board to ‘engage now’
Chinese stocks had their best week in many years, boosted by various stimulus measures announced this week by the Beijing government and People’s Bank of China.
The Shanghai Composite Index climbed by 2.9%, logging its biggest weekly gain since 2008, up nearly 10% while China’s CSI 300 jumped by 4.5% and had its best week since November 2008, ending 15.7% higher.
A veritable feast of economic stimulus measures has led investors to take a more optimistic view of the earnings potential for Chinese companies and foreign ones selling into the country. Lower borrowing costs, smaller deposits for buying homes and more capacity for banks to lend money – these lay the foundations for greater economic activity among businesses and consumers.
On paper, it looks interesting. But whether the desired results end up meeting investors’ expectations is another thing. China is notorious for throwing stimulus measures left, right and centre, and the success rate is patchy to say the least.
Weaker growth prospects and easing inflation concerns show a clear turning in eurozone sentiment at the moment, which adds dovish pressure on the ECB.
Inflation prints for Spain and France have come in very soft this morning, likely resulting in a first sub-2% eurozone inflation print for September. While this is related to base effects and inflation is expected to tick up again towards the end of the year, the question is by how much this can happen. Petrol prices have dropped significantly in recent weeks on the lower oil price, which limits the prospects of a headline inflation rebound. For the European Central Bank, a lot of focus will be on whether core inflation will come down though, with services inflation as its main concern.
Continue reading...For decades nori-wrapped rice dish was mainly a snack eaten at home or in a bento, but now it has come into its own
It is barely 10am and the queue outside Onigiri Bongo already stretches around the block. Some of the 30 or so early-bird diners sit on stools, sipping green tea and poring over laminated menus. Further back it is standing-room only.
“It’s always like this,” says Yumiko Ukon, who has run this modest rice ball shop and restaurant in the Otsuka neighbourhood of Tokyo for almost half a century. “But we never run out of rice,” she adds, seated in her office near a wall clock in the shape of a rice ball with a bite taken out.
Continue reading...Former defence chief elected leader of Liberal Democrats and vows to end ‘widespread distrust’ in party
Shigeru Ishiba, a veteran moderate, will next week be installed as Japan’s prime minister after he was elected leader of the governing Liberal Democratic party (LDP).
The 67-year-old, a former defence minister, beat his rightwing rival Sanae Takaichi, who was attempting to become the country’s first female prime minister, by 215 votes to 194 in a runoff election at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on Friday.
Continue reading...Loss of state-of-the-art vessel in May or June is setback to Chinese push for naval parity with US
China’s efforts to achieve maritime military parity with the US have suffered a serious blow after its newest state-of-the-art nuclear submarine sank in a dock, American officials have confirmed.
The incident happened last May or June at the Wuchang shipyard near Wuhan – the same city where the Covid-19 pandemic is believed to have originated – and came to light, thanks to satellite imagery, despite efforts by the country’s communist authorities to stage a cover-up.
Continue reading...Newly discovered figures dating back to 200BCE nearly double the number of known geoglyphs at enigmatic site
Archaeologists using artificial intelligence (AI) have discovered hundreds of new geoglyphs depicting parrots, cats, monkeys, killer whales and even decapitated heads near the Nazca Lines in Peru, in a find that nearly doubles the number of known figures at the enigmatic 2,000-year-old archaeological site.
A team from the Japanese University of Yamagata’s Nazca Institute, in collaboration with IBM Research, discovered 303 previously unknown geoglyphs of humans and animals – all smaller in size than the vast geometric patterns that date from AD200-700 and stretch across more than 400 sq km of the Nazca plateau.
Continue reading...Chung Pui-kuen sentenced to 21 months while Patrick Lam gets 11-month term but is released on medical grounds
The former editor-in-chief of Hong Kong’s Stand News has been sentenced to jail on sedition charges for the publication of news reports and other articles that prosecutors said tried to promote “illegal ideologies”.
Chung Pui-kuen, 55, the former editor-in-chief and the former acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam, 36, were found guilty of conspiring to publish seditious materials in late August after almost a year of delays. The parent company of the now-defunct Stand News, Best Pencil Ltd, was also convicted.
Continue reading...Benefits to rise for poorest and local authorities to be given powers to intervene in real estate markets
Chinese leaders have vowed to arrest a slump in the housing market and boost growth after conceding that measures by the central bank to stimulate investment this week were likely to prove inadequate.
Promising to deploy “necessary spending” by the state to meet this year’s economic growth target of 5%, China’s politburo said it would increase benefits for the poorest and give local authorities the cash and power to intervene to prevent further falls in house price values.
Continue reading...While we watch grown men sweep water around a big tarpaulin, let’s get back to some divisive rhetoric.
Here’s Krishna Moorthy:
Hello Daniel. Jay Shah is not the first person from India who is heading ICC, but he is certainly the least deserving. 10 years ago, he was a nobody but then his father’s party came to power and suddenly a nobody has turned into a Midas.
Continue reading...Calling out the racist element in her fan base is no small burden, but with Caitlin Clark’s great fame comes great responsibility. If her words can limit hate, staying silent just isn’t an option
After the Connecticut Sun defeated Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night, knocking the rookie and her teammates out of the WNBA playoffs, Alyssa Thomas wanted to speak. The All-Star forward called out the hate that Sun players have faced from sections of the Fever fanbase, saying the racist abuse she has witnessed was unprecedented in her 11-year career.
“Basketball is headed in a great direction, but we don’t want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial names,” she said. “Something needs to be done, whether it’s them checking their fans or this league checking, there’s no time for it any more.”
Continue reading...Hurricane John is moving along Mexico’s north-east coast, while India experiences monsoon levels of rainfall
On Monday, Hurricane John hit the southern Pacific coast of Mexico, having intensified from a tropical storm to a category 3 hurricane in less than 24 hours.
John made landfall with sustained winds of 120mph, causing destructive storm surges. However, it quickly weakened back to a tropical storm, with sustained winds falling to 50mph by Tuesday morning. John moved relatively slowly, leading to more than 400mm of rainfall in a few days. This rain brought widespread flooding, leading to mudslides in which two people are reported to have died.
Continue reading...At least 46 people, most of them children, drowned in the eastern state of Bihar while bathing in rivers swollen by recent floods in observance of Jivitputrika Vrat.
At least 46 people have drowned, most of them children, while bathing in rivers and ponds swollen by recent floods, during the observance of a Hindu religious festival celebrated by millions in India.
The dead include 37 children and seven women who drowned in the eastern state of Bihar in scattered incidents across 15 districts, authorities said on Thursday.
Continue reading...International warrant issued for Rinson Jose, who disappeared during work trip to US last week
Police in Norway have put out an international search warrant for a Norwegian Indian man in connection with the sale of pagers to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that exploded last week, killing dozens of people.
Rinson Jose, 39, the founder of a Bulgarian company that is alleged to be part of the pager supply chain, went missing during a work trip to the US last week.
Continue reading...Maura Finkelstein was terminated by Muhlenberg College for an Instagram repost.
The post Meet the First Tenured Professor to Be Fired for Pro-Palestine Speech appeared first on The Intercept.
We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors.
This week, from 2021: In 2018, Indian police claimed to have uncovered a shocking plan to bring down the government. But there is mounting evidence that the initial conspiracy was a fiction – and the accused are victims of an elaborate plot. By Siddhartha Deb
Continue reading...A subtle bipartisan shift in the language of immigration has opened the door to vilification and dehumanization.
The post You Should Stop Calling Immigrants “Migrants” appeared first on The Intercept.
The unabashed Australian with a penchant for shoeys was hugely popular but memories of his larrikin character should not overshadow his talent as a driver
“Wild and wonderful.” That’s how Daniel Ricciardo described a journey in Formula One that concluded on Thursday with confirmation of his ouster from RB for the remainder of the 2024 season. It was hardly unexpected, given talk of the 35-year-old’s future had dominated the build-up to last week’s race and a final flourish to record the fastest lap in Singapore carried all the airs of one last bow. The Australian, one of the sport’s most ebullient characters, appeared at peace with what was to come as he described the lap as “one last crack at doing a fast one.”
Ricciardo’s wording feels apt. In large part thanks to his endearing presence in the Netflix series Drive to Survive, he departs the sport as one of its most popular figures. – the tide of tributes flowing from fans and peers speaks to the imprint that he has had on the grid, not just as a driver but also as a personality. At a time when F1 has experienced a surge in new interest in a social-media-driven age, his beaming smile, entertaining interviews and famous ‘shoey’ celebration – and his 32 appearances on the podium – have become core memories of a generation of new fans.
Continue reading...JVP leader has positioned himself as opposite to political elites but not all have greeted his win with optimism
As he was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new president on Monday morning, Anura Kumara Dissanayake heralded a “new era of renaissance” for the country. Many believe Dissanayake’s election marks a significant political pivot for Sri Lanka, which has been ruled by a rotation of the same few parties and families for decades, leading to a continuing economic recession and deep-rooted mistrust of traditional political leaders.
Swathes of the population said it was the promise of change that brought them to vote for the leftist leader for the first time last weekend.
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 ...
Second-round victory viewed as widespread rejection of the old political elite amid economic crisis
The Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has won Sri Lanka’s presidential election, in what was viewed as a widespread rejection of the old political elite who are blamed for the country’s ongoing economic woes.
For the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, the election went into a runoff on Sunday after no candidate managed to get more than 50% of the votes. However, after second-choice votes were counted, Dissanayake was declared the winner in the evening. “This victory belongs to all of us,” he said, writing on X.
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.
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...Parts of England were struck by flash floods after more than a month’s rain fell in 24 hours. Heavy rainfall in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and London caused widespread travel disruption and damage to properties
Continue reading...We should be celebrating the revival of the bluefin tuna – but a ravenous fishing industry, backed by government and ‘science’, is already licking its lips
Over the past three weeks, I’ve been watching one of the greatest natural spectacles on Earth, here in south Devon. At a certain station of the tide, within a few metres of the coast, the sea erupts with monsters. They can travel at 45mph. They grow to 2.5 metres (8ft 2in) in length and 600kg in weight. They herd smaller fish – saury and garfish in this case – against the surface, then accelerate into the shoal so fast that they overshoot sometimes 2 or 3 metres into the air. Bluefin tuna. They are here, on our southern coasts, right now.
When I’ve mentioned this on social media, some people refuse to believe me: you must be seeing dolphins, they say. Yes, I often see dolphins too, and it’s not hard to spot the difference. They don’t believe it because we have forgotten that our coastal waters were once among the richest on Earth. Bluefin and longfin tuna were common here. So were several species of whale, including sperm, fin, humpback and Atlantic grey, and a wide range of large sharks. Halibut the size of barn doors hunted the coastal shallows. Cod reached almost 2 metres in length, haddock nearly a metre, turbot were the size of tabletops, oysters as big as dinner plates, shoals of herring and mackerel were miles long.
George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading...Hiking my first mountain as a broke student was a revelation, one that has often helped me face up to personal struggles
I live in northern Slovenia, in the medieval town of Kamnik. This town lends its name to one of the three Alpine ranges that overlook the territory of Slovenia, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. They might not have the country’s highest peaks, but they are nevertheless imposing.
For my entire life, I have been looking at one of their most distinguishing features, the Kamnik Saddle, be it from the village where I grew up or from Ljubljana where I lived for a couple of years. This saddle became the backdrop to the story of my life.
Ana Schnabl is a Slovenian novelist, editor and critic
Continue reading...Our tipsters savour the season’s bounty, from orchard tours to pumpkin picking
Our family’s favourite place to visit in autumn is Tulleys Pumpkin Farm in West Sussex (its pumpkin festival runs until 31 October). The pumpkin fields are impressive, with an astonishing variety in all colours, shapes and sizes. The kids love exploring and picking out their favourites. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes, as the fields can get muddy. The farm also features food and drink trucks, plus live music.
Ariadne
A subtle bipartisan shift in the language of immigration has opened the door to vilification and dehumanization.
The post You Should Stop Calling Immigrants “Migrants” appeared first on The Intercept.
Stoking and exploiting racist fears of immigrants is essentially all that Trump is running on.
The post Trump’s Conspiracy Theory Campaign appeared first on The Intercept.
We’d like to hear from people who experienced flooding recently, whether it affected their homes, communities or journeys
Flood warnings have been issued in parts of England as more than a month’s worth of rain could fall on Monday.
An amber weather alert for rain has been issued by the Met Office until 9pm in areas including Milton Keynes, Oxford, Reading, Bath and Gloucester, meaning some flooding and travel disruption was expected. There is a yellow warning for heavy rain until midnight for a much wider area, covering the majority of England.
Continue reading...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.
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors. You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors.
You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
Continue reading...  | submitted by /u/a_Ninja_b0y [link] [comments] |
Lobbyists and lawmakers have coordinated to enact new laws that increase criminal penalties for peaceful protests
Fossil fuel lobbyists coordinated with lawmakers behind the scenes and across state lines to push and shape laws that are escalating a crackdown on peaceful protests against oil and gas expansion, a new Guardian investigation reveals.
Records obtained by the Guardian show that lobbyists working for major North American oil and gas companies were key architects of anti-protest laws that increase penalties and could lead to non-violent environmental and climate activists being imprisoned up to 10 years.
Continue reading...Comedian wows BBC show’s judges and fans with confident performances that are helping to upend stereotypes
It may be early days, but Strictly Come Dancing’s breakout star so far this season is also the show’s first blind contestant, Chris McCausland.
The comedian, who impressed the BBC show’s judges last Saturday with his confident and energetic cha-cha-cha, has earned additional plaudits for upending stereotypes about who can dance.
Continue reading...Edward finds it annoying. Fran says it’s because of her ADHD. You decide who gets shut down Find out how to get a disagreement settled or become a juror
Fran is always looking at Instagram or Reddit, even when we’re watching a film
My scrolling shouldn’t affect other people. I always keep my phone on mute
Continue reading...Attorney General Andrew Bailey scuttled a deal that would have spared Williams’s life, and the courts and governor failed to intervene to stop the execution.
The post Missouri Kills Marcellus Williams Over Objections From Prosecutor and Victim’s Family appeared first on The Intercept.
As the state keeps details around the death penalty hidden, an investigation into its execution team raises questions about how incarcerated people are treated in their final moments.
The post In Alabama, Officers Accused of Violence and Misconduct Carry Out Secretive Executions appeared first on The Intercept.
Activists are drawing parallels between the state-sanctioned killing of Williams in Missouri and U.S. backing for Israel’s war on Gaza.
The post “I Saw a Mirror”: Marcellus Williams’s Execution Enrages Palestine Solidarity Protesters appeared first on The Intercept.
The source of the quote corrected Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, but they kept accusing the Palestinian House representative of antisemitism anyway.
The post CNN Anchors Won’t Stop Lying About Something Rashida Tlaib Never Said appeared first on The Intercept.
A subtle bipartisan shift in the language of immigration has opened the door to vilification and dehumanization.
The post You Should Stop Calling Immigrants “Migrants” appeared first on The Intercept.
Weapons used in earlier Israeli strikes into Lebanon that have killed civilians have been found to be U.S.-made.
The post Israel Bombed Lebanon Today, Killing Hundreds. The U.S. Is Sending More Bombs. appeared first on The Intercept.
For the first time in more than 30 years, the Council of UC Faculty Associations filed a formal complaint against the UC system.
The post California Professors Fight Back Against Violent Repression of Palestine Protest 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.
So far, no one has been able to hold the notorious Israeli spyware firm accountable for complicity in human rights abuses.
The post These Human Rights Defenders Were Hacked by Pegasus. Now They Want Police to Charge the Spyware Maker. 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.
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.
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
A subtle bipartisan shift in the language of immigration has opened the door to vilification and dehumanization.
The post You Should Stop Calling Immigrants “Migrants” appeared first on The Intercept.
Activists are drawing parallels between the state-sanctioned killing of Williams in Missouri and U.S. backing for Israel’s war on Gaza.
The post “I Saw a Mirror”: Marcellus Williams’s Execution Enrages Palestine Solidarity Protesters appeared first on The Intercept.
While Trump’s affair with Stormy Daniels made headlines, scandals like this don’t move the needle for US voters
Earlier this year, at Donald Trump’s hush-money trial, adult film star Stormy Daniels told jurors how at age 27, she met a 60-year-old Trump, whose wife had only recently given birth to their son, for what she thought was dinner. She arrived to find him in satin pyjamas and, during an encounter that included very “brief” sex, the business magnate told Daniels that she reminded him of his daughter, Ivanka.
I’m not dragging all this up again to put you off your dinner. I’m bringing it up to remind you that, while all these sordid details made headlines and generated jokes on late-night talkshows, they didn’t move the needle with Trump’s voters at all. His base, which includes evangelical Christians, simply didn’t care. Nor were they bothered about Trump’s association with Mark Robinson, the disgraced Republican candidate running to be North Carolina’s next governor who was allegedly once active on a porn forum called Nude Africa where he boasted about being a “perv”.
Continue reading...The source of the quote corrected Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, but they kept accusing the Palestinian House representative of antisemitism anyway.
The post CNN Anchors Won’t Stop Lying About Something Rashida Tlaib Never Said appeared first on The Intercept.
JD Vance had to cancel two events in Georgia on Thursday after the category 4 storm surged across the region
JD Vance has been forced to cancel two campaign events in Georgia due to the threat posed by Hurricane Helene, in the latest instance of Donald Trump’s presidential bid being affected by extreme weather worsened by a climate crisis that both Trump and Vance have routinely mocked.
Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, scrapped plans to make a speech in Macon, Georgia, and then hold a rally in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Thursday due to the hurricane, which has surged across the Gulf of Mexico and hit Florida’s west coast as a category 4 storm.
Continue reading...Democratic nominee calls Republican plan to end war between Ukraine and Russia ‘dangerous and unacceptable’
Kamala Harris, the US vice-president, has indirectly denounced the Trump campaign’s policy on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine as “proposals of surrender” as the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Washington to present his own “victory plan”.
Addressing Zelenskyy at the White House, Harris said that “some in my country” would pressure Ukraine to accept a peace deal in which it surrendered its sovereign territory and neutrality in order to make peace with Vladimir Putin.
Continue reading...Stoking and exploiting racist fears of immigrants is essentially all that Trump is running on.
The post Trump’s Conspiracy Theory Campaign appeared first on The Intercept.
Polling out this week suggests Kamala Harris could be outperforming Donald Trump in the crucial sun-belt states of Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and North Carolina. So what happens if these polls are right? Can Donald Trump win the presidency without them?
This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to George Chidi, politics and democracy reporter for Guardian US, about how these states could be be make or break for either candidate
Archive: 11 Alive, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, News Nation,
Continue reading...Former crime reporter says Scottish Tories are ‘acutely conscious’ of threat from Reform party in Scotland
• UK politics live – latest updates
Russell Findlay, the newly elected leader of the Scottish Conservatives, has said his party faces a significant threat from Reform in Scotland.
Findlay said the Scottish Tories had to listen to the tens of thousands of Tory voters who defected to Reform UK at the general election if his beleaguered party is to successfully mount a revival.
Continue reading...Russell Findlay, a former crime reporter, has been appointed as the next leader of the Scottish Conservatives after the most fractious period in the party’s history
Severin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor
Russell Findlay, a former crime reporter, has been appointed as the next leader of the Scottish Conservatives after the most fractious period in the party’s history.
Russell Findlay, 2,565 votes
Murdo Fraser, 1,187 votes
Meghan Gallacher, 403 votes
Continue reading...Calling south Beirut a militant “stronghold” makes it sound like a giant military base, rather than a dense and vibrant urban area.
The post Beirut Suburbs or “Hezbollah Stronghold”? U.S. Media Parrots Israeli Propaganda to Justify Bombing Civilians appeared first on The Intercept.
The PM and foreign secretary David Lammy met the Republican candidate, but were not able to schedule a meeting with Kamala Harris
Keir Starmer has met Donald Trump for a two-hour dinner in New York, as he sought to establish a good relationship with the Republican presidential candidate.
The prime minister was accompanied by his foreign secretary David Lammy, who described Trump as a neo-Nazi sympathiser in 2018 but has since said he would work with him in office.
Continue reading...Fleetwood Mac singer addresses American women in The Lighthouse, encouraging them to make a stand as abortion rights dominate US election campaigning
Stevie Nicks has released a forthright new single, The Lighthouse, inspired by the fight to reinstate abortion rights in the US.
Nicks wrote the robust, swaggering rock song in the aftermath of the June 2022 decision by the US supreme court to overturn the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling that Americans had a constitutional right to abortion.
Continue reading...The BoM has issued a severe weather update for parts of north-east NSW and south-east Queensland as wet and windy weather continues to batter the east coast
Dutton says PM ‘desperately hoping’ interest rates will fall
Opposition leader Peter Dutton believes Western Australia will play a crucial role in the election. He told the West Australian:
My judgment is that we’re waiting for the results to come in from WA before we know the outcome of the election this time around.
It depends on whether the prime minister’s waiting to see if interest rates come down.
He’d be desperately hoping that they come down in February of next year and he can go from there.
We live in the territory. This is our home. We are fighting to protect our water from the dangers of fracking.
Continue reading...Former defence chief elected leader of Liberal Democrats and vows to end ‘widespread distrust’ in party
Shigeru Ishiba, a veteran moderate, will next week be installed as Japan’s prime minister after he was elected leader of the governing Liberal Democratic party (LDP).
The 67-year-old, a former defence minister, beat his rightwing rival Sanae Takaichi, who was attempting to become the country’s first female prime minister, by 215 votes to 194 in a runoff election at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on Friday.
Continue reading...When public trust in politics is this fragile, ministers accepting gifts on such a scale was a mistake
The questions from broadcasters over freebies were blunt: “Do you get it, though?” and “Can’t you see how it looks?” Judging from the responses given by Sir Keir Starmer and Jonathan Reynolds, the worrying answer appears to be: not really. Of course, as Sir Keir said, there are “human explanations” for his decision to accept hospitality worth tens of thousands of pounds from Premier League football clubs – chiefly that he wants to continue to attend Arsenal games with his son safely. The free loan of a central London flat over the election period was also put down to family circumstances.
But at a time when public confidence in political and other institutions is fragile, and party loyalties less secure than ever before, the fallout from the PM’s declaration of interests including £107,000-worth of gifts is a clumsy own goal. Nor can it be dismissed as a one-off error, when several senior colleagues are also involved. Labour won office on a promise of change that explicitly referred to conduct as well as policy. Sir Keir’s pride in his working-class background, and the values of decency and tenacity he took from it, were a key part of his pitch to voters – and a point of difference with the Tories, whom Labour pilloried for cronyism and a lack of probity.
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Continue reading...Widespread opposition to winter fuel payments cut but some are perplexed by furore over freebies for ministers
“Boris Johnson was such a numpty, have we got another numpty now?” asked Tal, a business analyst, after the end of the Labour party conference on Wednesday.
His question summed up the mood of the voters More in Common spoke to in a focus group in Hendon, a seat Labour won in July by just 15 votes. The group had largely switched from Conservative to Labour at the last election.
Luke Tryl is the UK director of the research group More in Common
Continue reading...Environment has barely figured in leadership campaign but soon the party must decide where it stands
When the Conservatives gather in Birmingham this weekend for their first party conference out of government in 15 years, the environment is not likely to be top of most members’ minds, amid the fever of a leadership campaign.
That is probably a good thing, many green-tinged Tory insiders feel. The leadership campaign is dominated by the right wing of the party, with the favourite, Robert Jenrick, slugging it out on issues such as immigration, Brexit and the “scourge of woke” with Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat.
Continue reading...Chancellor says Treasury will be ‘pragmatic, not ideological’ amid claims the policy would not raise predicted £2.6bn
Rachel Reeves is rethinking parts of Labour’s crackdown on non-dom tax status over concerns that the plans will not raise any money.
The chancellor is reassessing the government’s manifesto promise to close loopholes in the non-domiciled tax regime.
Continue reading...Lobbyists and lawmakers have coordinated to enact new laws that increase criminal penalties for peaceful protests
Fossil fuel lobbyists coordinated with lawmakers behind the scenes and across state lines to push and shape laws that are escalating a crackdown on peaceful protests against oil and gas expansion, a new Guardian investigation reveals.
Records obtained by the Guardian show that lobbyists working for major North American oil and gas companies were key architects of anti-protest laws that increase penalties and could lead to non-violent environmental and climate activists being imprisoned up to 10 years.
Continue reading...Attorney General Andrew Bailey scuttled a deal that would have spared Williams’s life, and the courts and governor failed to intervene to stop the execution.
The post Missouri Kills Marcellus Williams Over Objections From Prosecutor and Victim’s Family appeared first on The Intercept.
Mark Zuckerberg is embracing both AI and full-on imperial monomania. As for petty gripes about elections and teen mental health, so what?
The good news is that Mark Zuckerberg has become bored of looking like an answer to the AI prompt “efit of a teen villain”. The bad? While the Meta overlord has grown out the Caesar hairstyle that has sustained him since 2016, he is now leaning in to open imperial monomania. This week’s Meta Connect conference saw Mark take the stage in a T-shirt reading Aut Zuck Aut Nihil. Either Zuck Or Nothing. The original was Aut Caesar Aut Nihil and was enthusiastically adopted as a motto by one of the worst Borgias (tough field) … but look, I’m sure it’s ironic. Mark’s such a gifted ironist.
We’ll get to the magic glasses and AI feedspam he was pushing at this week’s event in a minute – but before we do, let’s recap. Easily the most significant thing Mark Zuckerberg has said this year was that he isn’t sorry any more – in fact, that he wished he’d never said sorry for most of what he’d ever said sorry for. I paraphrase only slightly. A couple of weeks ago, Zuckerberg appeared on stage for a podcast and called Facebook’s willingness to offer stakes-free apologies for things he wasn’t to blame for – like election manipulation or the effect of social media on teen mental health – “a 20-year mistake”.
Continue reading...Anti-migrant, anti-Islam FPÖ could emerge as most voted for party in Sunday’s parliamentary poll
After winning the EU elections in June, Austria’s far-right Freedom party (FPÖ) seized the moment, calling for the appointment of a EU “remigration” commissioner to be tasked with the forced return of migrants and citizens with a migration background to their countries of origin.
The muted reaction that followed was a sharp contrast to Germany, where months earlier, allegations that members of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) had attended a meeting at which they discussed remigration dominated headlines and prompted tens of thousands to take to the streets in protest.
Continue reading...Second-round victory viewed as widespread rejection of the old political elite amid economic crisis
The Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has won Sri Lanka’s presidential election, in what was viewed as a widespread rejection of the old political elite who are blamed for the country’s ongoing economic woes.
For the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, the election went into a runoff on Sunday after no candidate managed to get more than 50% of the votes. However, after second-choice votes were counted, Dissanayake was declared the winner in the evening. “This victory belongs to all of us,” he said, writing on X.
Continue reading...Weapons used in earlier Israeli strikes into Lebanon that have killed civilians have been found to be U.S.-made.
The post Israel Bombed Lebanon Today, Killing Hundreds. The U.S. Is Sending More Bombs. appeared first on The Intercept.
Penny Wong says she shares frustration of ‘great majority of countries’ about a lack of progress to recognise a Palestinian state
Australia has suggested the world should set “a clear timeline for the international declaration of Palestinian statehood” in a sign of increasing frustration about the stalled peace process.
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, will float the idea in a speech to the UN general assembly in New York on Saturday Australian time (Friday US time). Benjamin Netanyahu was also due to address the gathering amid mounting concern about an escalating regional war.
Continue reading...Plus, a Brooklyn prison odd-couple comedy, an accent challenge for two Australians, and alpaca cuts hit the US
There have been worse gaffes in politics – Joe Biden referring to Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” at the Nato summit in July springs to mind – but Keir Starmer’s assertion on Monday that Hamas needs to release the “sausages” was one of the more pleasing recent slips, adding a touch of Alfred Jarry-like surrealism to the prime minister’s earnest affect. (Starmer corrected himself immediately, but it was too late.)
Continue reading...Look at the Commons: the language, the grandeur, the deference. I was elected on an ‘anti-sleaze’ ticket, and even I found the culture seductive
Lately I have been remembering the words attributed to the great Yogi Berra: “It’s like deja vu all over again.” My campaign to become the MP for Tatton seems a long time ago. Indeed, it was a generation ago. Yet in recent weeks it has felt like the day before yesterday.
The issue, now as then, goes under the generic heading of “sleaze”, generally defined as the use of public office for private profit. Then it was the allegation, made against Neil Hamilton MP among others, of receiving cash for asking questions in parliament. (Hamilton denied it, but the parliamentary commissioner for standards, Gordon Downey, found “compelling evidence” against him.)
Martin Bell is a former independent MP for Tatton
Continue reading...Moderate faces challenges over cost-of-living crisis, public trust and threats to regional stability from China and North Korea
Shigeru Ishiba’s determination to lead Japan has never been in question, and now the veteran MP is poised to achieve that goal at the fifth time of asking after winning the race to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP) on Friday.
The 67-year-old will be installed as Japan’s new prime minister on Tuesday by the LDP-controlled parliament.
Continue reading...New research sets out a prescription – but the shadow of a fresh benefits crackdown hangs over everything
Jamie used to love his job. Working as a hospital porter, helping sick people in need, he probably never expected to become a patient himself: at 50, he was still fit and healthy. But then he strained his back at work, and so began a long, downhill slide. He was given physio exercises to follow online, but couldn’t access them, and before long he was in such pain he was signed off work for good. Unable to keep active, and putting on weight, Jamie was referred to a diabetes prevention programme; but by now his back hurt too much to drive to the clinic, and public transport was a struggle.
Overwhelmed and isolated, he ended up retreating inside his damp, mouldy council house. Five years on, Jamie still isn’t working, but his back is almost the least of his problems. He’s diabetic, asthmatic thanks to the mould, suffering from coronary heart disease, and if he isn’t depressed yet then he probably soon will be.
Continue reading...Treasurer says it’s ‘not unusual’ for governments to get advice on ‘contentious issues’ but stresses changes to housing tax breaks are not in the works
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has conceded he did ask his department for information about possible changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions, but the government insists any reform to the controversial tax breaks are not yet on the agenda.
The Independent senator David Pocock said the government had multiple options to make the system more equitable through moderate changes while still protecting investments made by ordinary families.
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Continue reading...Suggestion would allow government to divert money earmarked for new roads to rail and other public transport
Campaign groups have urged the government to cancel major road building schemes including the Lower Thames Crossing, amid growing speculation that ministers could divert money earmarked for new roads into rail and other public transport.
The transport secretary, Louise Haigh, is due to decide in a week whether to sign off a development consent order [DCO] for the £9bn road crossing linking Essex and Kent.
Continue reading...PM says the public can make their own judgments about gifts and maintains no rules have been broken
Keir Starmer has said the row over him borrowing Labour donor Waheed Alli’s luxury flat for filming was “farcical” and that the public would come to their own judgments about his reasons for taking support from the peer.
The prime minister sought to downplay the row over the flat when he was asked about his gifts from the Labour peer while on a trip to New York, after weeks of questions about receiving clothing, spectacles and temporary use of a £18m penthouse from Alli.
Continue reading...Felicity Laurence says the policy is racist and discriminatory, Kartik Raj that it goes against human and children’s rights, and Ruth Lister that the costs have not been considered
Amelia Gentleman’s eloquent refocusing on the two-child benefit cap, and the imperative to end this morally untenable attack on so many already-fragile families, is timely and urgent (‘I have £7 in my bank account’: how the two-child benefit cap changed Britain, 25 September). The policy targets the poorest families and those with cultural and religious traditions of larger families, and is thus inherently both discriminatory and racist. And, as she discovers in talking to women struggling to cope with its impact on the wellbeing of their children, it also targets those who become pregnant “by accident” – which can often involve coercion.
For people on the edge of poverty, a third pregnancy raises the immediate prospect of impoverishment of the existing two children and, for some, the excruciating dilemma of whether to go ahead and sentence the family to poverty, or terminate the pregnancy. Gentleman quotes the former Tory minister for welfare reform David Freud’s condemnation of this policy as “vicious” and an “excrescence”. Even this savage judgment fails to convey the depravity of a policy whose logical outcome is the termination of an unplanned third or subsequent pregnancy.
Continue reading...Readers respond to an editorial about the chancellor dismissing a return to austerity in her speech to Labour conference
Your leading article was right to highlight the challenge that the chancellor faces in demonstrating fiscal responsibility while reviving the economy (23 September). As it pointed out, the London School of Economics published a report in January – of which I was a co-author – that made a compelling case for an increase in annual public investment of about £26bn per year, equivalent to 1% of GDP, to jolt UK productivity and economic growth out of its rut. This would pull the UK out of bottom place in the G7 league table for public investment, and would promote confidence in private investors that having skin in the game would mean the government would provide supportive policies to ensure healthy long-term returns.
Our report made a further case that the strongest returns would be secured from green investment that accelerates the transition to a sustainable, inclusive and resilient economy by tackling even more effectively damage from climate change, biodiversity loss and other environmental degradation, including air and water pollution.
Continue reading...Mlungisi Makhanya stable in hospital in South Africa, where he was in exile from Africa’s last absolute monarchy
The leader of Eswatini’s main opposition party is in a critical but stable condition after allegedly being poisoned in what allies say is an assassination attempt.
Mlungisi Makhanya is in a hospital in South Africa after the alleged poisoning on Monday night at his home in the capital, Pretoria, where he was living in exile from Africa’s last absolute monarchy, said Penuel Malinga, the secretary general of the People’s United Democratic Movement (Pudemo).
Continue reading...Poll suggests half of Congolese have not heard of deadly disease, as conspiracy theories and rumours spread
For doctors and nurses fighting mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the virus itself is not the only enemy. They are also facing swirling rumours and misinformation.
The first of millions of promised doses of mpox vaccine have finally started to arrive. Now the focus is on ensuring that people who need them will take them when the vaccination campaign begins next month, and teaching wider communities how to protect themselves.
Continue reading...He was the BBC’s North America editor, living in Washington DC for eight years before returning to a shockingly changed UK. He discusses social media, antisemitism, centrist dads and the sudden embrace of conspiracy theories
When Jon Sopel left London in 2014 for Washington DC, to become the BBC’s North America editor, everything seemed fairly stable. “The boring coalition with Clegg and Cameron, who didn’t seem that different as people,” he remembers. “Brexit was not even a glimmer.” Nor was the rest of the turmoil to come: Boris Johnson, the pandemic, Liz Truss, even Donald Trump in the US. When Sopel moved back in 2022, the country felt completely different – “like a nervous breakdown”, he says, and eerily unfamiliar. Trying to get his head around it all has resulted in a book, Strangeland: How Britain Stopped Making Sense.
“It was quite triggering to write,” he says with a small laugh, “just thinking how crazy it was.” Same here – I had wiped the words “tractor porn” from my mind until Sopel’s reminder in a chapter about the worst of our MPs (this is Neil Parish who was forced to resign in 2022 after being caught accessing explict material in the House of Commons).
Continue reading...Human Rights Watch alleges potential violation of international human rights law on many occasions this year
Rwandan forces and M23 rebels have shelled refugee camps and other highly populated areas in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on many occasions this year, Human Rights Watch has claimed.
The NGO also accused the DRC’s armed forces and its allied militias of putting the camps’ residents in danger by stationing their artillery nearby in its report alleging violation of international humanitarian and human rights law in the longstanding war in the central African country.
Continue reading...Israel’s brazen attacks on Hezbollah last week, in which hundreds of pagers and two-way radios exploded and killed at least 37 people, graphically illustrated a threat that cybersecurity experts have been warning about for years: Our international supply chains for computerized equipment leave us vulnerable. And we have no good means to defend ourselves.
Though the deadly operations were stunning, none of the elements used to carry them out were particularly new. The tactics employed by Israel, which has neither confirmed nor denied any role, to hijack an international supply chain and embed plastic explosives in Hezbollah devices have been used for years. What’s new is that Israel put them together in such a devastating and extravagantly public fashion, bringing into stark relief what the future of great power competition will look like—in peacetime, wartime and the ever expanding ...
Two televised debates ahead of 6 October mayoral election turn physically violent, with participants treated in hospital
Brazilians call overcast São Paulo their country’s “land of drizzle”.
But in recent months it has been raining punches not precipitation as Latin America’s largest city endures what observers call the most violent and unruly election in its history.
Continue reading...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.
JVP leader has positioned himself as opposite to political elites but not all have greeted his win with optimism
As he was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new president on Monday morning, Anura Kumara Dissanayake heralded a “new era of renaissance” for the country. Many believe Dissanayake’s election marks a significant political pivot for Sri Lanka, which has been ruled by a rotation of the same few parties and families for decades, leading to a continuing economic recession and deep-rooted mistrust of traditional political leaders.
Swathes of the population said it was the promise of change that brought them to vote for the leftist leader for the first time last weekend.
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.
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
Climate activists opposed to the Mountain Valley pipeline were accused of breaking West Virginia’s new critical infrastructure law
It was around dawn on a chilly day last November when West Virginia state troopers forcibly extricated Jerome Wagner out from a 25ft-deep pit where he was locked to a drilling machine being used to finish construction of a beleaguered gas pipeline.
The veteran climate activist was trying to draw attention to the Mountain Valley pipeline (MVP) – a 300-mile (480km) fossil fuel project mired by environmental controversies and blocked by court orders and regulatory red tape until it was pushed through by the Biden administration in mid-2023.
Continue reading...Created in 1968 and making groundbreaking strides, the organisation is looking to further expand
Home is where the heart is but it also brought hardships for the National Black Theatre (NBT). “We have always produced in this space, but it was with a leaky roof, with low ceilings,” recalls Sade Lythcott, the chief executive. “Our artistic ambition was always stifled by the space that we had.”
That is about to change when the NBT, a groundbreaking organisation forged in the searing political heat of 1968, prepares to move into a major new arts complex spanning an entire city block on 125th Street in Harlem, New York. Set to open in 2027, the $80m project will contain two hi-tech theatres as well as affordable artist housing, a set-building shop and site-specific installations by artists Sanford Biggers and José Parla.
Continue reading...The rise of artificial intelligence has sparked a panic about computers gaining power over humankind. But the real threat comes from falling for the hype. By Navneet Alang
Continue reading...William Christou and Michael Safi speak to people affected by Israel’s intense bombing campaign in Lebanon
On Sunday night, Dalia Farran decided to sleep on the beach near her beach club in Tyre, southern Lebanon. Across Lebanon that day, people had received warnings in texts and calls that there would be airstrikes.
“Early morning, six o’clock, I woke up to the sound of bombing,” Dalia tells Michael Safi. “I got out of the tent and I saw the whole mountains leading to Naqoura. There were flames, black dark smoke like clouds. It was really like a mirage. It was like a dream, like a bad dream, weird dream. And that’s how the nightmare started.”
Continue reading...Company plans announced as it reckons with departure of senior executives and seeks huge investment
OpenAI, the developer of the groundbreaking ChatGPT chatbot, is preparing to overhaul its corporate structure and become a for-profit business.
The startup’s chief executive, Sam Altman, acknowledged on Thursday that it was “not a normal company” after another surprising development at OpenAI this week when its its chief technology officer, Mira Murati, resigned. Her departure was quickly followed by the announcement that two other executives had quit.
Continue reading...Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Liew and Troy Townsend to preview this weekend’s Premier League games
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; Manchester United laboured to a 1-1 draw with FC Twente in their opening Europa League game and now face a tricky test against Tottenham on Sunday in the Premier League.
Continue reading...Industrial civilisation is close to breaching a seventh planetary boundary, and may already have crossed it, according to scientists who have compiled the latest report on the state of the world’s life-support systems. They say ocean acidification is close to critical threshold, posing a threat to marine ecosystems and global liveability. Ian Sample speaks to Prof Helen Findlay, a biological oceanographer at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, to find out why the oceans have reached this state, and whether there is anything we can do to reverse the damage.
Earth may have breached seven of nine planetary boundaries, health check shows
Continue reading...For more than a decade Pelicot’s husband drugged her and invited other men to allegedly rape her. When she found out, she made an extraordinary decision. Angelique Chrisafis reports
For more than a decade Gisèle Pelicot went to sleep thinking she was in a safe, loving marriage. But when her then husband was arrested she discovered the truth – at night he had been drugging her, so that he could film more than 80 other men allegedly raping her. The trial of Dominique Pelicot and 50 others has horrified France and the world. But the bravery of Gisèle, who has waived her anonymity to raise awareness of violence against women and show that rape survivors have nothing to be ashamed of, has seen her praised for her courage.
Angelique Chrisafis has been in the courtroom and visited the quiet Provence town where the Pelicots lived. She explains how Dominique Pelicot found no difficulty in finding and recruiting men in an online chatroom.
Continue reading...We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors.
This week, from 2021: In 2018, Indian police claimed to have uncovered a shocking plan to bring down the government. But there is mounting evidence that the initial conspiracy was a fiction – and the accused are victims of an elaborate plot. By Siddhartha Deb
Continue reading...As the state keeps details around the death penalty hidden, an investigation into its execution team raises questions about how incarcerated people are treated in their final moments.
The post In Alabama, Officers Accused of Violence and Misconduct Carry Out Secretive Executions 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.
For the first time in more than 30 years, the Council of UC Faculty Associations filed a formal complaint against the UC system.
The post California Professors Fight Back Against Violent Repression of Palestine Protest appeared first on The Intercept.
The far-right, anti-immigration Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is riding a populist wave across Europe’s largest economy.
According to polls conducted this month, the AfD has become the strongest party in Thuringia, a former state of the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR). In Saxony, another former GDR state, the party finished a very close second behind the CDU.
The Guardian's Berlin correspondent, Deborah Cole, explains how the AfD has risen from its eurosceptic origins to a party that is 'managing to set the agenda' in German politics
Success of far-right AfD shows east and west Germany are drifting further apart
Everyone is terrified of a far-right return in Germany. Here’s why it won’t happen
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.
So far, no one has been able to hold the notorious Israeli spyware firm accountable for complicity in human rights abuses.
The post These Human Rights Defenders Were Hacked by Pegasus. Now They Want Police to Charge the Spyware Maker. appeared first on The Intercept.
Lila Tamea was one of the worshippers inside Abdullah Quilliam Society mosque in Liverpool when it was targeted by far-right rioters in August. Alongside Imam Adam Kelwick, she went out to speak to them and offer food. In the weeks that followed, Lila took a leading role in trying to rebuild her community after the violence. But now, despite promises of community cohesion in Liverpool, fear and paranoia are still a daily reality for Muslim women
Continue reading...A police shooting that injured three people and one officer is the result of New York Mayor Eric Adams’s enforcement-first mentality.
The post There Are So Many Armed Cops on Subways That Now They’re Shooting Each Other 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
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.
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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