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The 51 Best Shows on Disney+ Right Now (December 2024)
Tue, 17 Dec 2024 20:00:00 +0000
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Luther, and Agatha All Along are just a few of the shows you should be watching on Disney+ this month.
Match ID: 0 Score: 35.00 source: www.wired.com age: 1 day
qualifiers: 35.00 (best|good|great) (show|movie)
Superman returns to screens in effort to save superhero movies
Thu, 19 Dec 2024 16:14:53 GMT
The first trailer for James Gunn's film shows the new Man of Steel - and Krypto the Superdog.
Match ID: 1 Score: 20.00 source: www.bbc.com age: 0 days
qualifiers: 20.00 movie
First trailer for James Gunn’s new Superman movie released
Thu, 19 Dec 2024 15:30:36 GMT
The much-anticipated film is being heralded as a significant reset for the DC movie universe, of which Gunn is joint CEO
The first trailer for James Gunn’s much-anticipated Superman movie has been released.
Starring David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, the film is being heralded as a significant reset for the DC movie universe (DCU), of which Gunn became joint CEO in 2022.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Coalition of musicians, photographers and newspapers insist existing copyright laws must be respected
Writers, publishers, musicians, photographers, movie producers and newspapers have rejected the Labour government’s plan to create a copyright exemption to help artificial intelligence companies train their algorithms.
In a joint statement, bodies representing thousands of creatives dismissed the proposal made by ministers on Tuesday that would allow companies such as Open AI, Google and Meta to train their AI systems on published works unless their owners actively opt out.
Continue reading...While box office continues to play catch up with pre-pandemic numbers, there’s been a notable increase in the popularity of experiential cinema
Ordinarily, you’d have to imagine the scent of fresh blueberry pie that lures the sister missionaries of Heretic, a recent psychological horror film, into the off-limits home of a single man. (Sister Mormon missionaries are not allowed to be with a man sans a chaperone; the potential convert, a psychopath played by Hugh Grant, assures them that his wife is in the other room baking dessert.) But at a special screening in Brooklyn last month, blueberry pie smell filled the theater at Grant’s cue, thanks to a themed, one-night-only collaboration with the fragrance company Joya Studio. The scent lingered for a few scenes, waning along with girls’ faith and sense of safety.
The aroma and an extra treat – unlike the poor missionaries, viewers were eventually served real blueberry pie (and gifted a potent pie-scented candle) – added a special layer to the experience of watching a cerebral thriller in a theater. A small, not revolutionary layer – Smell-o-Vision was a hot movie gimmick in the 1950s – but memorable nonetheless. Which is the point: the screening, a joint production by A24, Joya and Alamo Drafthouse theaters nationwide, was a level up from the normal movie-going experience – an extra in-scentive (sorry) to actually go sit in a theater when at-home entertainment options abound. “People have choices on where they’re going to see a film,” said Chaya Rosenthal, chief marketing officer at Alamo Drafthouse. “We need to give them as many reasons to come out and enjoy the film and the full immersive experience in a theater.”
Continue reading...Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha, the makers of our No 2 film of the year, are currently under arrest. They talk about their trial, crossing red lines and why they’re ready to fight
• The best films of 2024
• More on the best culture of 2024
You’re on trial in Iran for making My Favourite Cake. You were in court this morning. What happened?
Behtash Sanaeeha: We were supposed to be in court. But there is very high air pollution in Tehran today, so the government closed all public buildings.
What are you charged with?
BS: We have three charges against us. One is propaganda against the regime, another is breaking Islamic rules by making a vulgar movie. And the third is spreading prostitution and libertinism. It’s ridiculous.
This powerful and important film highlights the brutality of the Iranian regime with a gentle strength of its own
• The best films of 2024 in the UK
• More on the best culture of 2024
On the face of it, the Iranian film My Favourite Cake falls into the Hollywood category of heartwarmer. A lonely widow meets-cute with a widower. They have a sweet, tender moment together back at her apartment so she can bake him her favourite cake. It’s the kind of film that shouldn’t be controversial. And yet this movie, as well as being wonderfully written and performed by its leads, Lily Farhadpour and Esmaeel Mehrabi, and very moving in showing all the late-life yearnings of two people condensed into a single evening, is the most dangerous and passionate of the year.
Its co-directors, Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha, have had their passports taken away by the Iranian authorities and they have been placed under house arrest, having been subject to hours of interrogation – a situation very similar to that of that other Iranian movie titan, Jafar Panahi. Last summer, the Iranian security forces raided the home of the film’s editor and seized hard drives. (Fortunately, copies of the film were also stored in Paris – that traditional home of Iranian cinema’s dissident spirit, and the bridgehead for its presence on the European festival circuit.)
Continue reading...The jurors that sent Hall to death row never heard critical evidence that could have convinced them to spare his life. Some of them now support his bid for clemency.
The post Charles Hall Insisted He Wanted the Death Penalty. Now He’s Asking Biden for Mercy. 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
The U.S. political system is owned by corporations despised by the American people. Luigi Mangione is the result.
The post Health Insurance Execs Should Live in Fear of Prison, Not Murder appeared first on The Intercept.
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Imagine a world in which you can do transactions and many other things without having to give your personal information. A world in which you don’t need to rely on banks or governments anymore. Sounds amazing, right? That’s exactly what blockchain technology allows us to do.
It’s like your computer’s hard drive. blockchain is a technology that lets you store data in digital blocks, which are connected together like links in a chain.
Blockchain technology was originally invented in 1991 by two mathematicians, Stuart Haber and W. Scot Stornetta. They first proposed the system to ensure that timestamps could not be tampered with.
A few years later, in 1998, software developer Nick Szabo proposed using a similar kind of technology to secure a digital payments system he called “Bit Gold.” However, this innovation was not adopted until Satoshi Nakamoto claimed to have invented the first Blockchain and Bitcoin.
A blockchain is a distributed database shared between the nodes of a computer network. It saves information in digital format. Many people first heard of blockchain technology when they started to look up information about bitcoin.
Blockchain is used in cryptocurrency systems to ensure secure, decentralized records of transactions.
Blockchain allowed people to guarantee the fidelity and security of a record of data without the need for a third party to ensure accuracy.
To understand how a blockchain works, Consider these basic steps:
Let’s get to know more about the blockchain.
Blockchain records digital information and distributes it across the network without changing it. The information is distributed among many users and stored in an immutable, permanent ledger that can't be changed or destroyed. That's why blockchain is also called "Distributed Ledger Technology" or DLT.
Here’s how it works:
And that’s the beauty of it! The process may seem complicated, but it’s done in minutes with modern technology. And because technology is advancing rapidly, I expect things to move even more quickly than ever.
Even though blockchain is integral to cryptocurrency, it has other applications. For example, blockchain can be used for storing reliable data about transactions. Many people confuse blockchain with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.
Blockchain already being adopted by some big-name companies, such as Walmart, AIG, Siemens, Pfizer, and Unilever. For example, IBM's Food Trust uses blockchain to track food's journey before reaching its final destination.
Although some of you may consider this practice excessive, food suppliers and manufacturers adhere to the policy of tracing their products because bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella have been found in packaged foods. In addition, there have been isolated cases where dangerous allergens such as peanuts have accidentally been introduced into certain products.
Tracing and identifying the sources of an outbreak is a challenging task that can take months or years. Thanks to the Blockchain, however, companies now know exactly where their food has been—so they can trace its location and prevent future outbreaks.
Blockchain technology allows systems to react much faster in the event of a hazard. It also has many other uses in the modern world.
Blockchain technology is safe, even if it’s public. People can access the technology using an internet connection.
Have you ever been in a situation where you had all your data stored at one place and that one secure place got compromised? Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to prevent your data from leaking out even when the security of your storage systems is compromised?
Blockchain technology provides a way of avoiding this situation by using multiple computers at different locations to store information about transactions. If one computer experiences problems with a transaction, it will not affect the other nodes.
Instead, other nodes will use the correct information to cross-reference your incorrect node. This is called “Decentralization,” meaning all the information is stored in multiple places.
Blockchain guarantees your data's authenticity—not just its accuracy, but also its irreversibility. It can also be used to store data that are difficult to register, like legal contracts, state identifications, or a company's product inventory.
Blockchain has many advantages and disadvantages.
I’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about blockchain in this section.
Blockchain is not a cryptocurrency but a technology that makes cryptocurrencies possible. It's a digital ledger that records every transaction seamlessly.
Yes, blockchain can be theoretically hacked, but it is a complicated task to be achieved. A network of users constantly reviews it, which makes hacking the blockchain difficult.
Coinbase Global is currently the biggest blockchain company in the world. The company runs a commendable infrastructure, services, and technology for the digital currency economy.
Blockchain is a decentralized technology. It’s a chain of distributed ledgers connected with nodes. Each node can be any electronic device. Thus, one owns blockhain.
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, which is powered by Blockchain technology while Blockchain is a distributed ledger of cryptocurrency
Generally a database is a collection of data which can be stored and organized using a database management system. The people who have access to the database can view or edit the information stored there. The client-server network architecture is used to implement databases. whereas a blockchain is a growing list of records, called blocks, stored in a distributed system. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, timestamp and transaction information. Modification of data is not allowed due to the design of the blockchain. The technology allows decentralized control and eliminates risks of data modification by other parties.
Blockchain has a wide spectrum of applications and, over the next 5-10 years, we will likely see it being integrated into all sorts of industries. From finance to healthcare, blockchain could revolutionize the way we store and share data. Although there is some hesitation to adopt blockchain systems right now, that won't be the case in 2022-2023 (and even less so in 2026). Once people become more comfortable with the technology and understand how it can work for them, owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs alike will be quick to leverage blockchain technology for their own gain. Hope you like this article if you have any question let me know in the comments section
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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the most popular digital assets today, capturing the attention of cryptocurrency investors, whales and people from around the world. People find it amazing that some users spend thousands or millions of dollars on a single NFT-based image of a monkey or other token, but you can simply take a screenshot for free. So here we share some freuently asked question about NFTs.
NFT stands for non-fungible token, which is a cryptographic token on a blockchain with unique identification codes that distinguish it from other tokens. NFTs are unique and not interchangeable, which means no two NFTs are the same. NFTs can be a unique artwork, GIF, Images, videos, Audio album. in-game items, collectibles etc.
A blockchain is a distributed digital ledger that allows for the secure storage of data. By recording any kind of information—such as bank account transactions, the ownership of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), or Decentralized Finance (DeFi) smart contracts—in one place, and distributing it to many different computers, blockchains ensure that data can’t be manipulated without everyone in the system being aware.
The value of an NFT comes from its ability to be traded freely and securely on the blockchain, which is not possible with other current digital ownership solutionsThe NFT points to its location on the blockchain, but doesn’t necessarily contain the digital property. For example, if you replace one bitcoin with another, you will still have the same thing. If you buy a non-fungible item, such as a movie ticket, it is impossible to replace it with any other movie ticket because each ticket is unique to a specific time and place.
One of the unique characteristics of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is that they can be tokenised to create a digital certificate of ownership that can be bought, sold and traded on the blockchain.
As with crypto-currency, records of who owns what are stored on a ledger that is maintained by thousands of computers around the world. These records can’t be forged because the whole system operates on an open-source network.
NFTs also contain smart contracts—small computer programs that run on the blockchain—that give the artist, for example, a cut of any future sale of the token.
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) aren't cryptocurrencies, but they do use blockchain technology. Many NFTs are based on Ethereum, where the blockchain serves as a ledger for all the transactions related to said NFT and the properties it represents.5) How to make an NFT?
Anyone can create an NFT. All you need is a digital wallet, some ethereum tokens and a connection to an NFT marketplace where you’ll be able to upload and sell your creations
When you purchase a stock in NFT, that purchase is recorded on the blockchain—the bitcoin ledger of transactions—and that entry acts as your proof of ownership.
The value of an NFT varies a lot based on the digital asset up for grabs. People use NFTs to trade and sell digital art, so when creating an NFT, you should consider the popularity of your digital artwork along with historical statistics.
In the year 2021, a digital artist called Pak created an artwork called The Merge. It was sold on the Nifty Gateway NFT market for $91.8 million.
Non-fungible tokens can be used in investment opportunities. One can purchase an NFT and resell it at a profit. Certain NFT marketplaces let sellers of NFTs keep a percentage of the profits from sales of the assets they create.
Many people want to buy NFTs because it lets them support the arts and own something cool from their favorite musicians, brands, and celebrities. NFTs also give artists an opportunity to program in continual royalties if someone buys their work. Galleries see this as a way to reach new buyers interested in art.
There are many places to buy digital assets, like opensea and their policies vary. On top shot, for instance, you sign up for a waitlist that can be thousands of people long. When a digital asset goes on sale, you are occasionally chosen to purchase it.
To mint an NFT token, you must pay some amount of gas fee to process the transaction on the Etherum blockchain, but you can mint your NFT on a different blockchain called Polygon to avoid paying gas fees. This option is available on OpenSea and this simply denotes that your NFT will only be able to trade using Polygon's blockchain and not Etherum's blockchain. Mintable allows you to mint NFTs for free without paying any gas fees.
The answer is no. Non-Fungible Tokens are minted on the blockchain using cryptocurrencies such as Etherum, Solana, Polygon, and so on. Once a Non-Fungible Token is minted, the transaction is recorded on the blockchain and the contract or license is awarded to whoever has that Non-Fungible Token in their wallet.
You can sell your work and creations by attaching a license to it on the blockchain, where its ownership can be transferred. This lets you get exposure without losing full ownership of your work. Some of the most successful projects include Cryptopunks, Bored Ape Yatch Club NFTs, SandBox, World of Women and so on. These NFT projects have gained popularity globally and are owned by celebrities and other successful entrepreneurs. Owning one of these NFTs gives you an automatic ticket to exclusive business meetings and life-changing connections.
That’s a wrap. Hope you guys found this article enlightening. I just answer some question with my limited knowledge about NFTs. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below. Also I have a question for you, Is bitcoin an NFTs? let me know in The comment section below
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
The mysterious and theatrical singer’s monumental 32-track album is a parallel dimension of nostalgic pop, its pristine tunes rivalling the greats of the 20th century
• The 50 best albums of 2024
• More on the best culture of 2024
Before you even pressed play, Cindy Lee’s Diamond Jubilee took you back in time. When it was released in March, the only way to hear it (aside from a YouTube video) was to go to a GeoCities website – a relic from the 90s internet, complete with multicoloured Times New Roman lettering – and download the audio files via Mega, the filesharing service beloved of 00s music blogs.
The music itself went even further back, and indeed sideways, into a parallel dimension of 20th-century pop: doo-wop, glam, folk-rock, Nuggets-y psych/garage, Velvet Underground-style art-rock, French chanson, classic soul, 60s girl-group pop, synthwave, rockabilly and ambient all feature, emerging through lo-fi production as if corrupted on its journey from this spirit realm.
Continue reading...After her second album anguished about new fame, the US artist self-released the soulful Charm, an exercise in learning to let go of control and embrace the unknown
• The 50 best albums of 2024: No 4 – Clairo: Charm
• The full list of the year’s best albums
Claire Cottrill, AKA Clairo, has charted her life in music. The US singer-songwriter spent her teens making tunes on her laptop and gained an online following for her intimate, lo-fi brand of indie-pop. When her song Pretty Girl went viral in late 2017, she was still in her first year of college.
Two years later, her debut album, Immunity, was widely praised for its maturity and poise, with Cottrill writing and producing all the tracks (with input from Vampire Weekend founding member Rostam Batmanglij). The follow-up, Sling (made with Jack Antonoff), was equally self-assured as Cottrill reflected on her mixed experiences of the music industry and sudden fame. In the quietly eviscerating lead single, Blouse, she vented frustration with a record exec: “Why do I tell you how I feel / When you’re too busy looking down my blouse?”
Continue reading...Japan’s complex defence alliances built up over years as protection against China could be put at risk in a Trump-launched trade war
Arguably, no country in Asia has better reason to be in a state of anxiety over the return of Donald Trump to the White House than Japan, since the US has been the linchpin of Japanese foreign and security policy since the second world war.
Back in 2017, well before he became prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba described Trump’s method as one of “placing his counterpart in a state of anxiety and tension, creating psychological instability and then initiating a deal”.
Continue reading...For Pyongyang, dead soldiers are a price worth paying for the rewards of friendship with Moscow
A few years ago, it would have sounded fantastical to suggest that massed North Korean soldiers would fight on a European battlefield – as a Ukrainian commander noted last month. Yet about 10,000 are now thought to be fighting for Moscow, and on Tuesday a US official reported that “several hundred” had died in Russia’s Kursk region.
North Korea has one of the largest armies in the world, with more than 1.25 million personnel in a country of just 26 million. Despite its extraordinary nuclear and missile achievements, much of its vast stockpile of weaponry is thought to be out of date – though that hasn’t stopped it shipping as much as $5.5bn worth of arms and ammunition to Russia. The military has not engaged in large-scale combat since the end of the Korean war in 1953. At home, soldiers spend significant time trying to acquire food or basic supplies, including fuel.
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Continue reading...Russian leader largely upbeat in year-end phone-in, calling Zelenskyy ‘illegitimate’ and suggesting US missile ‘duel’
Vladimir Putin said the war in Ukraine had made Russia “much stronger” and denied that the fall of his key ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria had hurt Moscow’s standing, as he held a marathon year-end press conference and television call-in seeking to project confidence at home and abroad.
Casting the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as “illegitimate”, Putin said he was ready to meet Donald Trump and discuss peace proposals to end his full-scale invasion, but he repeated his hardline stance that Moscow would keep control of Crimea, together with the four Ukrainian regions he laid claim to in 2022.
Continue reading...A vacuum among his generals is the last thing the president needs. He will be holding his breath for Trump’s inauguration
The assassination on Tuesday of the Russian general and conspiracy theorist Igor Kirillov in downtown Moscow is yet another operation in a string of small, morale-boosting actions by Ukraine and its sympathisers. Last month, Valery Trankovsky, a senior naval officer, was killed in a car-bombing in Crimea. Sergei Yevsyukov, the former chief of the Russian-operated Olenivka prison that Russian forces blew up in 2022, killing many Ukrainian prisoners of war, died in a similar attack this month in Donetsk. All three men had been accused by Ukraine of war crimes.
These killings are more than acts of retribution; they are part of a calculated effort to signal Ukraine’s resolve in the face of Russian aggression. They serve as a warning to Moscow’s military establishment and offer a modicum of justice to a Ukrainian public enraged by the atrocities committed by Russian forces. Yet the effectiveness of such assassinations is less clear. In authoritarian regimes that lack mechanisms for orderly power transitions, the elimination of high-ranking officials can destabilise leadership structures. A sudden vacuum at the top risks igniting infighting among elites and undermining the regime’s cohesion.
Olga Chyzh researches political violence and repressive regimes, she is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...The big news outlets used to say settlements would encourage more lawsuits. Trump is already targeting smaller newspapers.
The post The Real Danger of ABC News Settling Its Lawsuit With Donald Trump appeared first on The Intercept.
Central bank downgrades growth forecast amid threat from budget fallout, rising inflation and Trump trade tariffs
The Bank of England has kept interest rates on hold as it warned UK growth is on the brink of stagnation amid the fallout from Rachel Reeves’s budget and threat of Donald Trump reigniting global trade wars.
Reflecting heightened concerns over stubborn inflation, the central bank’s rate-setting monetary policy committee (MPC) voted by a majority of six to three to leave interest rates unchanged at 4.75%, prolonging the pressure on households and businesses from elevated borrowing costs.
Continue reading...“The funds to CJA are critical for building community resilience against climate change threats.”
The post EPA Staffers Demand Biden Release Climate Funds Withheld Over Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.
This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage here
Poland summoned the chargé d’affaires of Belarus (a diplomat of a lower rank acting in place of an ambassador), Alexei Ponkratiev, on Thursday to protest against what it called “aggressive actions” of the Belarusian KGB spy service towards Polish diplomats accredited in Belarus and other countries.
The Polish foreign ministry did not specify what actions it was accusing the Belarus agency of having taken, but said the continuation of such provocations would be met with a “symmetrical response from the Polish side”.
Continue reading...“When you imagine what the FTC is willing and able to do in the service of an authoritarian Trump administration, that takes you to some really terrifying places.”
The post Republicans Said the FTC Was Too Politicized. Now Trump’s FTC Pick Says It Should be Politicized — by Trump. appeared first on The Intercept.
Spike in fossil fuel use a result of global gas crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
The world’s coal use is expected to reach a fresh high of 8.7bn tonnes this year, and remain at near-record levels for years as a result of a global gas crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
There has been record production and trade of coal and power generation from coal since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine inflated global gas market prices, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Continue reading...Tulip Siddiq denies claims that she brokered corrupt deal with Russia to build nuclear power plant
Keir Starmer has given his full support to Tulip Siddiq, the Treasury minister, after Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission accused her and family members of embezzling billions as part of a deal for a nuclear power plant.
Siddiq, whose role as economic secretary to the Treasury includes responsibility for tackling financial corruption. She has denied any involvement in the claims.
Continue reading...Hakeem Jeffries says ‘GOP extremists want House Democrats to raise the debt ceiling so that House Republicans can lower the amount of your Social Security check’
Donald Trump’s disruption of the government funding negotiations could put the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, in a perilous position.
Johnson may have to work with Democrats to keep the government open beyond Friday, since his majority is very small, and many of his lawmakers have strident demands when it comes to government spending and the debt ceiling. If Johnson does that, rightwing hardliners in the House Republican conference may attempt to oust him from the speaker’s post when the new Congress begins next year.
No.
Continue reading...Comment came during PM’s afternoon facing questions from the liaison committee
In her response to the statement from Karin Smyth, Caroline Johnson, the shadow health minister, suggested the extra money for hospices would not fully compensate the extra costs the sector is facing because of the national insurance increase and the rise in the living wage. She said:
On October 30 the chancellor decided to break her election promise by increasing employers’ national insurance contributions and reducing the threshold at which employer contributions are payable.
It was later confirmed that hospices would not be exempted from this increase in costs. Now the government has announced new funding for the sector, which they had the audacity to call the biggest investment in a generation.
The biggest investment in a generation for hospices has been announced by the government today, ensuring that hospices can continue to deliver the highest quality end of life care possible for their patients, families, and loved ones.
The £100m funding will help hospices this year and next to provide the best end of life care to patients and their families in a supportive and dignified physical environment.
Continue reading...President-elect torpedoes bipartisan plan with less than 48 hours remaining until government shuts down for holidays
Donald Trump’s disruption of the government funding negotiations could put the Republican House speaker Mike Johnson in a perilous position.
Johnson may have to work with Democrats to keep the government open beyond Friday, since his majority is very small, and many of his lawmakers have strident demands when it comes to government spending and the debt ceiling. If Johnson does that, rightwing hardliners in the House Republican conference may attempt to oust him from the speaker’s post when the new Congress begins next year.
No.
Continue reading...The U.S. political system is owned by corporations despised by the American people. Luigi Mangione is the result.
The post Health Insurance Execs Should Live in Fear of Prison, Not Murder appeared first on The Intercept.
The monetary policy committee voted six to three to hold interest rates steady despite consumers’ reticence to spend
There was no doubt in the City that the Bank of England would hold interest rates at 4.75%. A spurt in annual inflation last month and a sharp rise in wages in the autumn meant its monetary policy committee (MPC) was widely expected to hold fire on a third rate cut this year.
What many will find more surprising is the yawning gap between the six committee members who voted to hold rates and the three who voted for a reduction.
Continue reading...Trump rejects bipartisan plan, causing Congress to spiral as lawmakers try to wrap up for holidays amid Friday deadline
Donald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a government shutdown before the Friday deadline, instead telling Mike Johnson, the House speaker, and Republicans to essentially renegotiate.
Federal funding runs out on Friday, so members of Congress are racing against the clock before they leave Washington for the holidays to cobble together a short-term spending bill and avoid a shutdown. The measure rejected Wednesday would have extended funding through 14 March.
Continue reading...‘Billionaires must not be allowed to run our government,’ Sanders says after Musk derides bipartisan deal to prevent government shutdown
Bernie Sanders has criticized “President Elon Musk” over the billionaire’s efforts to derail a bipartisan spending deal that would keep the government running for another three months.
“Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government,” said Sanders, the independent senator for Vermont who votes with Democrats, in a statement.
Continue reading...Hospices struggling with increases to wages and NICs say cash is ringfenced and will not ease day-to-day pressures
Hospices in England will receive a £100m-plus boost to their funding amid worries that some end-of-life services could close because of the impact of the employer national insurance contributions increase and wage rises.
However, the bulk of the money will be ringfenced for capital spending, such as improving accommodation for patients and their loved one, and cannot be used to help with day-to-day running costs.
Continue reading...One is Labour, the other right of centre, and they disagree on the president-elect. Were they any more aligned on privatisation or freedom of speech?
Steve, 36, Manchester
Occupation Call centre technical support
Continue reading...President formally files new plans under Paris agreement and hails ‘boldest climate agenda in American history’
Joe Biden has announced tougher targets on the US’s carbon dioxide emissions for the next decade, in a defiant final gesture intended as a “capstone” on his legacy on the climate.
With just weeks to go before Donald Trump enters the White House, the Biden administration is formally filing new plans under the Paris agreement – the global climate treaty from which Trump has vowed to withdraw.
Continue reading...Morgan McSweeney flew to Florida and Washington for meetings with key members of president-elect’s team
Keir Starmer’s chief of staff travelled to the US for talks with Donald Trump’s incoming White House team earlier this month.
Morgan McSweeney flew to Florida and Washington for meetings with key members of Trump’s team at the start of December.
Continue reading...Brief talks on 'mutually beneficial’ relations will look at security and defence, but even modest ambitions will be difficult to agree
Nearly five years after the Brexit divorce, the EU is thinking again about its estranged ex-member across the Channel. The union’s 27 leaders will discuss its relationship with the UK on Thursday, for the first time since the election of Keir Starmer, who wants to reset relations and end the rancour of the Brexit years.
The talks, at an EU summit in Brussels, look set to be brief, forming part of a crowded lunch discussion on EU foreign policy covering issues such as the Middle East, China, Ukraine and the return of Donald Trump.
Continue reading...  | submitted by /u/marketrent [link] [comments] |
American tech billionaires are no more entitled to meddle in British democracy than other foreign oligarchs
Under most circumstances, a British politician seeking cash from a foreign oligarch would make the approach discreetly. Recipient and donor would worry about the relationship looking improper even if the deal could be done without breaching UK electoral law.
Nigel Farage has no such qualms. The Reform leader has boasted of his recent meeting with Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. Nick Candy, a former Conservative donor and now the Reform party’s treasurer, was also present. Photographs and statements from the British visitors testify to their eagerness that the meeting – and the fact that money was discussed – attract maximum publicity.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...  | submitted by /u/chrisdh79 [link] [comments] |
Everyone from janitors to the Geek Squad could be forced to help the NSA spy — and Democrats barely put up a fight.
The post Top Senator Warns Sweeping New Surveillance Powers Will “Inevitably Be Misused” by Trump appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump wants a bloodbath for the federal employees, but government workers aren’t the only ones who will suffer.
The post Federal Labor Unions Steel Themselves for Trump and DOGE’s Mass Firings appeared first on The Intercept.
For more than two decades, the U.S. has flown drones over the heads of millions of people — watching, recording, and even killing some of them.
The post America Gets a Taste of Its Own Medicine: Drone Terror appeared first on The Intercept.
Downing Street says ‘details’ being discussed after newly elected Navinchandra Ramgoolam criticised the agreement
Downing Street has denied that a deal with Mauritius to hand over control of the Chagos Islands is in peril after the new Mauritian prime minister said the arrangement as it stood was not beneficial to his country.
The agreement, under which the UK would hand over its final African colony while keeping control of the UK-US military base on the island of Diego Garcia for at least 99 years, was reached in October with the previous Mauritian administration.
Continue reading...Hours before Assad fell, Congress moved to extend sanctions. Despite presidential waivers, Syria won’t open up until they’re off the books.
The post Keeping Sanctions in Force Would “Pull the Rug Out From Under Syria” appeared first on The Intercept.
Sean Baker’s and Brady Corbet’s films received seven nominations each from the London Critics’ Circle, while feminist body horror The Substance and Ralph Fiennes’ papal drama Conclave have six
The Palme d’Or winner Anora and epic architect drama The Brutalist have come out on top in the nominations count for the London Critics’ Circle film awards, with seven apiece.
The two films are expected to feature strongly throughout the awards race during the next few months, and have largely matched each other here. Anora and The Brutalist are both nominated for film of the year and director of the year (for Sean Baker and Brady Corbet respectively), and their lead performers are also nominated: Mikey Madison for actress of the year for Anora and Adrien Brody for The Brutalist. Madison, who plays a sex worker who impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, is also nominated for breakthrough performer.
Continue reading...All 51 men on trial have been found guilty, a fact that needs to prompt major changes in French society
One face and name dominated the streets of Paris on 23 November as the annual march marking International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women took place. Gisèle Pelicot’s image was everywhere – she is a new feminist hero.
Rokhaya Diallo is a French journalist, writer, film-maker, activist and Guardian columnist
Continue reading...Study finds 9,000-year-old remains in Americas hold genomes of bacteria family that causes disease
After the French king Charles VIII invaded Italy in 1494, an unknown and disfiguring disease erupted in the army camps and duly spread across Europe when the men returned to their homelands the following year.
The epidemic is regarded as the first historical account of syphilis, but where the disease came from has been debated by scholars ever since. One camp believes it emerged in the Americas, and was brought to Europe by Columbus in 1493. Another suspects it was lurking in Europe before the explorer set sail.
Continue reading...Yoon Suk Yeol was summoned for questioning over attempt to impose martial law earlier this month
South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, failed to appear before the country’s corruption watchdog on Wednesday, it said, after he was summoned for questioning over his attempt to impose martial law.
Yoon was stripped of his duties by parliament over the weekend after his short-lived 3 December martial law declaration, which plunged the country into its worst political turmoil in decades.
Continue reading...The jurors that sent Hall to death row never heard critical evidence that could have convinced them to spare his life. Some of them now support his bid for clemency.
The post Charles Hall Insisted He Wanted the Death Penalty. Now He’s Asking Biden for Mercy. appeared first on The Intercept.
Sarah Davidson says the government has a shot at solving profound generational challenges and Bryan Merton welcomes Polly Toynbee’s positive perspective. But Bernie Evans wants to see more action right now, and Philip Oliver urges Labour to keep voters engaged
Polly Toynbee is correct that there are few quick fixes for the biggest problems facing the country (Labour seems to be flailing, but keep faith: Starmer’s long-term plans are both radical and sound, 17 December). But we shouldn’t delude ourselves that political leadership alone is enough to shift the dial on many of these generational challenges.
While I have critiqued the detail of Whitehall reforms announced by Labour this winter, most of us who have worked in or with Whitehall would accept the need for these institutions to work differently. Central government must pay proper respect to the distinct contributions and roles of others – the devolved administrations; local government; public bodies; and the third and private sectors.
Continue reading...Steven Donziger and 34 congressmembers urge action on case that saw debilitating counterattacks from Chevron
Steven Donziger, the embattled human rights attorney, has urged Joe Biden to offer him a pardon for his role in defending Indigenous tribes in Ecuador against the oil industry, where his efforts ended with him being sued by Chevron and spending time in jail and hundreds of days under house arrest.
In an interview with the Guardian from his Manhattan apartment, Donziger said a pardon would “send a clear signal to corporations that they can never again criminally prosecute and jail good people who hold them accountable for abuses”.
Continue reading...McNeese State University in Louisiana building a liquefied natural gas center, prompting fears of ‘corporate capture’
One of Louisiana’s top public universities has prompted concerns about “corporate capture” over its expanding relationship with the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry, despite environmental warnings about pollution and prolonging fossil fuel use.
As the US’s LNG boom gained momentum in south-west Louisiana, McNeese State University courted the industry to help launch a new LNG Center of Excellence currently under construction, hired a director doubling as an LNG industry lobbyist, and approached federal regulators to co-locate their own research center at the university, according to emails obtained via public records requests by DeSmog and the Guardian.
Continue reading...On The Intercept Briefing, Syrian journalist Rami Jarrah discusses the fall of the Assad family’s decadeslong brutal regime.
The post Syria: What Comes Next? appeared first on The Intercept.
The FBI is still touting the debunked idea that its agents could access communications without opening a door to foreign hackers.
The post How to Protect Yourself From the Salt Typhoon Hack, No Matter What the FBI Says appeared first on The Intercept.
Seeking to lock up Asif Rahman during his Espionage Act trial, prosecutors alleged the CIA analyst had an ideological motive to leak.
The post Judge Reverses Decision to Release Alleged CIA Leaker Ahead of Trial appeared first on The Intercept.
Israel violated the terms of a 1974 agreement by rolling its tanks across the Syrian border — less than 40 miles from Damascus.
The post Israel Exploits Assad’s Fall to Expand Into Syria appeared first on The Intercept.
In a new report, the Justice Department’s inspector general found that the agency violated its own rules to snoop on reporters.
The post This Is How Trump’s Department of Justice Spied on Journalists appeared first on The Intercept.
This essay was written with Nathan E. Sanders. It originally appeared as a response to Evgeny Morozov in Boston Review‘s forum, “The AI We Deserve.”
For a technology that seems startling in its modernity, AI sure has a long history. Google Translate, OpenAI chatbots, and Meta AI image generators are built on decades of advancements in linguistics, signal processing, statistics, and other fields going back to the early days of computing—and, often, on seed funding from the U.S. Department of Defense. But today’s tools are hardly the intentional product of the diverse generations of innovators that came before. We agree with Morozov that the “refuseniks,” as he ...
French president promises food, water and to rebuild as emergency services search desperately for survivors
Distraught and angry inhabitants of Mayotte shouted out their grievances to the French president, Emmanuel Macron, as he visited the island, five days after it was devastated by a cyclone.
High on their list was the lack of water and food, and the fear of looting.
Continue reading...One algorithm identified the five strongest notes in each drink more accurately than any one of a panel of experts
Notch up another win for artificial intelligence. Researchers have used the technology to predict the notes that waft off whisky and determine whether a dram was made in the US or Scotland.
The work is a step towards automated systems that can predict the complex aroma of whisky from its molecular makeup. Expert panels usually assess woody, smoky, buttery or caramel aromas, which can help to ensure they don’t vary substantially between batches of the same product.
Continue reading...Bridget’s parents liked Indian food, so long as it wasn’t too spicy, and invited me to cook a festive dish. Tears soon began streaming down their faces
I had been seeing my girlfriend for six months when she suggested we spend Christmas with her family. This was uncharted territory for me: past relationships had either not lasted long enough or had been with people whose families did not celebrate Christmas. I felt nervous, but was determined to make a good impression on Bridget’s parents, who lived in a remote rural community in the Scottish Borders – a part of the world that was very different from anything familiar to me.
Having grown up in a Muslim family, I was unused to traditions such as Christmas dinner. I worried that requesting halal meat might interfere with her family’s food plans. Bridget’s parents, being deeply kind and empathetic people, suggested that perhaps I could prepare a Christmas curry for the family. They enjoyed Indian food and this would allow me to bring a part of my cultural heritage to their home – which was how I came to be in their kitchen preparing a saag aloo, based on a recipe learned from my mother.
Continue reading...Supermarket giant sought to use Baby Bellies’ designs for ‘its own commercial advantage’, judge says
Supermarket giant Aldi has been found liable for copyright infringement over packaging for children’s snack foods that used a rival brand as a “benchmark” for its design.
Aldi – which once used the slogan “like brands, only cheaper” – launched a rebrand of a range of children’s snack food products including fruit-flavoured corn puffs under the Mamia brand in August 2021.
Continue reading...Dr Chris van Tulleken has been at the forefront of the campaign to change our food system and better regulate the sale of ultra-processed foods (UPF). This year he will be giving the Royal Institution Christmas lectures, Britain’s most prestigious public science lectures, in which he’ll be investigating how food has fundamentally shaped human evolution, the importance of our microbiome – as the extra ‘organ’ we didn’t know we had – and how we can all eat better in future, for the sake of our own health and the health of the planet.
Nicola Davis sat down with Van Tulleken to discuss the lectures, the challenge of understanding the impact of UPFs on our health, and his top tip for Christmas dinner. Madeleine Finlay hears from them both in this Christmas special edition of Science Weekly
Clips: Sky News
Continue reading...Since the 1970s, Humphrey Smith has acquired scores of pubs and historic properties around the UK. But time after time, he has left the buildings empty. Why has he allowed his empire to moulder?
In early September 2022, Alivia Bienko and her husband, Liam, were driving through Stamford Bridge, an idyllic village on the River Derwent, near York, when a shuttered pub caught their eye. Stuck to one of the windows was an A4 sheet advertising for a couple to live in and manage the pub. On the advert was a mobile number for Samuel Smith, the brewery that owned the pub. Founded in 1758, Samuel Smith Old Brewery is one of the largest family-owned brewery and pub operations in the UK. Bienko had experience in hospitality, and she and Liam were open to a change. They decided to look into the job.
Online, they came across a few stories of couples who had been thrown out of their jobs running Samuel Smith’s pubs, largely for “missing money or missing beer”, Bienko said. Nothing unusual about that. But when the couple dialled the number on the advert, they were surprised to find themselves speaking to Humphrey Smith, the stupendously wealthy chairman of the company, who has been in charge since the 1970s. “He said, ‘I can come and meet you tomorrow’,” Bienko told me. “It was very odd and we were very nervous, because we were living in a small caravan and here was a millionaire coming to visit us.”
Continue reading...For Pyongyang, dead soldiers are a price worth paying for the rewards of friendship with Moscow
A few years ago, it would have sounded fantastical to suggest that massed North Korean soldiers would fight on a European battlefield – as a Ukrainian commander noted last month. Yet about 10,000 are now thought to be fighting for Moscow, and on Tuesday a US official reported that “several hundred” had died in Russia’s Kursk region.
North Korea has one of the largest armies in the world, with more than 1.25 million personnel in a country of just 26 million. Despite its extraordinary nuclear and missile achievements, much of its vast stockpile of weaponry is thought to be out of date – though that hasn’t stopped it shipping as much as $5.5bn worth of arms and ammunition to Russia. The military has not engaged in large-scale combat since the end of the Korean war in 1953. At home, soldiers spend significant time trying to acquire food or basic supplies, including fuel.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...Trump wants a bloodbath for the federal employees, but government workers aren’t the only ones who will suffer.
The post Federal Labor Unions Steel Themselves for Trump and DOGE’s Mass Firings appeared first on The Intercept.
Not sure which whisky to sip by a roaring fire? No problem, we’ve tasted them straight up for you
Whether you’re stocking the bar trolley or hunting for a gift for a hard-to-buy-for relative, you’ll likely be one of the many picking up a bottle or two of whisky this Christmas.
After carefully testing every whisky on this list – and many more – we are full of festive spirit and ready to step in to Christmas. Some whiskies were stirred into manhattans, others were enjoyed as a highball, and all were tasted straight up; all in the name of fairness, you understand.
Continue reading...As the diplomatic row over the embargo escalates, the U.S. sent Israel millions of pounds of ammunition through Spanish territory.
The post U.S. Defied Spanish Embargo on Arms Bound for Israel by Making Enforcement More Difficult appeared first on The Intercept.
From soft, buttery cheddar to crumbly caerphilly, here’s our pick of cheeses that will benefit you, the animal and the environment
The fruity tang of a strong cheddar; the creamy ooze of a brie; the honk of a blue so ripe it threatens to walk off the board. To cheese lovers, these are as much a part of this season’s sensory joys as mince pies and a Christmas tree glowing with lights.
Yet they can come at an environmental price. Sustainability is frustratingly complicated for those of us who want to lay on a cheeseboard without guilt this Christmas. Most of us now know about livestock emissions, global deforestation in the name of producing feed, and the pollution – via agricultural runoff – of local waterways. A few years ago, we were told being sustainable meant avoiding dairy completely; then we learned about the benefits ruminants can bring to the soil when farmed regeneratively.
The cheddar:
Hafod
From £7.75 at the Courtyard Dairy
The wensleydale:
Stonebeck
From £17 at Paxton & Whitfield
The ‘camembert’:
Corscombe
£15.15 at Neal’s Yard Dairy
The goat’s:
Sinodun Hill and Polmarkyn Dairy
£14.95 at Paxton & Whitfield
£6.20 at Hanson Fine Foods
The ‘manchego’:
Corra Linn
From £10.65 at the Courtyard Dairy
The blue:
Lanark blue
£9.95 at Pong Cheese
The caerphilly:
Duckett’s caerphilly
£5.25 at the Newt
The reblochon:
Rollright
£10.95 at the Newt
With packaging as delicious as the contents, these sweet and savoury stocking fillers cater to all tastes
Food gifts are perfect for anyone who doesn’t want more “stuff”. From brownies to scoff in one sitting to store cupboard upgrades, these gifts will brighten the dark winter days.
Who doesn’t need a delivery of luxury biscuits or gourmet olive oil they’d hesitate to drop into their regular grocery basket? From Michelin-starred chutney to croissant butter, they’ll thank you for the gift that will keep on giving throughout January.
Continue reading...Is there anything you’d like to know about UPFs? The Guardian’s new video podcast, It’s complicated
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have become an everyday part of many people’s diets. From ready meals to breakfast cereals, these foods are engineered for convenience and taste – but at what cost? With growing attention on how ultra-processed foods (UPFs) influence our health, the environment, and even the way we view eating, it’s no wonder there’s so much confusion and curiosity surrounding them.
In our new video podcast on the Guardian’s It’s Complicated YouTube channel, we want to explore what really goes into UPFs and what that means for our wellbeing. What makes a food ‘ultra-processed’ compared to regular processed foods? Are all UPFs inherently unhealthy? How did they become such a dominant part of the food landscape, and what would it mean to cut them out? These are just some of the questions we’re looking to answer — but we really want to hear from you.
Continue reading...Hours before Assad fell, Congress moved to extend sanctions. Despite presidential waivers, Syria won’t open up until they’re off the books.
The post Keeping Sanctions in Force Would “Pull the Rug Out From Under Syria” appeared first on The Intercept.
A weekly email from Yotam Ottolenghi, Meera Sodha, Felicity Cloake and Rachel Roddy, featuring the latest recipes and seasonal eating ideas
Each week we’ll send you an exclusive newsletter from our star food writers. We’ll also send you the latest recipes from Yotam Ottolenghi, Nigel Slater, Meera Sodha and all our star cooks, stand-out food features and seasonal eating inspiration, plus restaurant reviews from Grace Dent and Jay Rayner.
Sign up below to start receiving the best of our culinary journalism in one mouth-watering weekly email.
Continue reading...Whether they fled or stayed behind, the survivors of Israel’s scorched-earth campaign in northern Gaza experienced untold horrors.
The post Trauma and Terror in the North of Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.
In the UK and US, more than half the average diet consists of ultra-processed foods. For some people, especially those who are younger, poorer or from disadvantaged areas, a diet comprising as much as 80% UPFs is typical, and this has been linked to a myriad of harmful effects to health.
Neelam Tailor traces the surprising journey of ultra-processed foods from their origins in industrial waste to today's complex ingredient lists and the regulatory loopholes that paved the way
Continue reading...Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, direct to your inbox every Thursday
Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday
Explore all our newsletters: whether you love film, football, fashion or food, we’ve got something for you
Continue reading... |
Imagine a world in which you can do transactions and many other things without having to give your personal information. A world in which you don’t need to rely on banks or governments anymore. Sounds amazing, right? That’s exactly what blockchain technology allows us to do.
It’s like your computer’s hard drive. blockchain is a technology that lets you store data in digital blocks, which are connected together like links in a chain.
Blockchain technology was originally invented in 1991 by two mathematicians, Stuart Haber and W. Scot Stornetta. They first proposed the system to ensure that timestamps could not be tampered with.
A few years later, in 1998, software developer Nick Szabo proposed using a similar kind of technology to secure a digital payments system he called “Bit Gold.” However, this innovation was not adopted until Satoshi Nakamoto claimed to have invented the first Blockchain and Bitcoin.
A blockchain is a distributed database shared between the nodes of a computer network. It saves information in digital format. Many people first heard of blockchain technology when they started to look up information about bitcoin.
Blockchain is used in cryptocurrency systems to ensure secure, decentralized records of transactions.
Blockchain allowed people to guarantee the fidelity and security of a record of data without the need for a third party to ensure accuracy.
To understand how a blockchain works, Consider these basic steps:
Let’s get to know more about the blockchain.
Blockchain records digital information and distributes it across the network without changing it. The information is distributed among many users and stored in an immutable, permanent ledger that can't be changed or destroyed. That's why blockchain is also called "Distributed Ledger Technology" or DLT.
Here’s how it works:
And that’s the beauty of it! The process may seem complicated, but it’s done in minutes with modern technology. And because technology is advancing rapidly, I expect things to move even more quickly than ever.
Even though blockchain is integral to cryptocurrency, it has other applications. For example, blockchain can be used for storing reliable data about transactions. Many people confuse blockchain with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.
Blockchain already being adopted by some big-name companies, such as Walmart, AIG, Siemens, Pfizer, and Unilever. For example, IBM's Food Trust uses blockchain to track food's journey before reaching its final destination.
Although some of you may consider this practice excessive, food suppliers and manufacturers adhere to the policy of tracing their products because bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella have been found in packaged foods. In addition, there have been isolated cases where dangerous allergens such as peanuts have accidentally been introduced into certain products.
Tracing and identifying the sources of an outbreak is a challenging task that can take months or years. Thanks to the Blockchain, however, companies now know exactly where their food has been—so they can trace its location and prevent future outbreaks.
Blockchain technology allows systems to react much faster in the event of a hazard. It also has many other uses in the modern world.
Blockchain technology is safe, even if it’s public. People can access the technology using an internet connection.
Have you ever been in a situation where you had all your data stored at one place and that one secure place got compromised? Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to prevent your data from leaking out even when the security of your storage systems is compromised?
Blockchain technology provides a way of avoiding this situation by using multiple computers at different locations to store information about transactions. If one computer experiences problems with a transaction, it will not affect the other nodes.
Instead, other nodes will use the correct information to cross-reference your incorrect node. This is called “Decentralization,” meaning all the information is stored in multiple places.
Blockchain guarantees your data's authenticity—not just its accuracy, but also its irreversibility. It can also be used to store data that are difficult to register, like legal contracts, state identifications, or a company's product inventory.
Blockchain has many advantages and disadvantages.
I’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about blockchain in this section.
Blockchain is not a cryptocurrency but a technology that makes cryptocurrencies possible. It's a digital ledger that records every transaction seamlessly.
Yes, blockchain can be theoretically hacked, but it is a complicated task to be achieved. A network of users constantly reviews it, which makes hacking the blockchain difficult.
Coinbase Global is currently the biggest blockchain company in the world. The company runs a commendable infrastructure, services, and technology for the digital currency economy.
Blockchain is a decentralized technology. It’s a chain of distributed ledgers connected with nodes. Each node can be any electronic device. Thus, one owns blockhain.
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, which is powered by Blockchain technology while Blockchain is a distributed ledger of cryptocurrency
Generally a database is a collection of data which can be stored and organized using a database management system. The people who have access to the database can view or edit the information stored there. The client-server network architecture is used to implement databases. whereas a blockchain is a growing list of records, called blocks, stored in a distributed system. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, timestamp and transaction information. Modification of data is not allowed due to the design of the blockchain. The technology allows decentralized control and eliminates risks of data modification by other parties.
Blockchain has a wide spectrum of applications and, over the next 5-10 years, we will likely see it being integrated into all sorts of industries. From finance to healthcare, blockchain could revolutionize the way we store and share data. Although there is some hesitation to adopt blockchain systems right now, that won't be the case in 2022-2023 (and even less so in 2026). Once people become more comfortable with the technology and understand how it can work for them, owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs alike will be quick to leverage blockchain technology for their own gain. Hope you like this article if you have any question let me know in the comments section
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Japan’s complex defence alliances built up over years as protection against China could be put at risk in a Trump-launched trade war
Arguably, no country in Asia has better reason to be in a state of anxiety over the return of Donald Trump to the White House than Japan, since the US has been the linchpin of Japanese foreign and security policy since the second world war.
Back in 2017, well before he became prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba described Trump’s method as one of “placing his counterpart in a state of anxiety and tension, creating psychological instability and then initiating a deal”.
Continue reading...Teenager receives raucous reception after defeating China’s Ding Liren in tense 14-game series
Indian chess star Gukesh Dommaraju returned to a hero’s welcome in his home city on Monday after becoming the youngest world champion aged only 18.
Hundreds of fans crowded the arrivals area of Chennai airport, cheering alongside banks of television cameras as Gukesh made his way out of the airport after victory in taking the World Chess Championship title.
Continue reading...A new and high-stakes escape route has been revealed, through the Indonesian archipelago to a smuggler’s boat
Paul, an Indonesian fisherman, says he was working as a rideshare driver in the dusty streets of Kupang in West Timor when he came across half a dozen Chinese men on the side of the road. They were wet up to their waist, carrying a backpack each, and spoke no Indonesian.
“They had walked from the beach, from the mangrove forest to the main road. They said they had difficulty with their boat engine,” Paul recalls. They asked for directions to a nearby hotel … and went on their way. Paul, a former people smuggler from Rote Island, called the police. “I used to bring people like this.”
Continue reading...Call for additional precautions as captive species including lions, tigers and cheetahs are killed by virus
Dozens of rare animals including tigers, lions and cheetahs are dying as bird flu infiltrates zoos, with potentially “grave implications” for endangered species, researchers have warned.
As a growing number of zoos report animal deaths, scientists are concerned that infected wild birds landing in enclosures could be spreading it among captive animals. In the US, a cheetah, mountain lion, Indian goose and kookaburra were among the animals that died in Wildlife World Zoo near Phoenix, according to local media reports last week. San Francisco Zoo temporarily closed its aviaries after a wild red-shouldered hawk was found dead on its grounds, and later tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAIV). A rare red-breasted goose died at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, causing aviaries to close and penguin feeding for visitors to be suspended in November. These cases follow the deaths of 47 tigers, three lions, and a panther in zoos across south Vietnam over the summer.
Continue reading...Mother of Mary Jane Veloso urges Philippine president to act so family can be reunited for Christmas, as daughter lands in Manila
The mother of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipino domestic helper who spent almost 15 years on death row in Indonesia, has urged President Ferdinand Marcosto grant her daughter a pardon as she arrived back in the Philippines on Wednesday, ending a long battle by her supporters to bring her home.
“We cannot explain the joy of my husband and her children,” Veloso’s mother, Celia Veloso, 65, told the Guardian late on Tuesday. “We have been praying for my child to come home for a long time, and now she will be home.” She hopes her family can be reunited for Christmas.
Continue reading...Match will be remembered for the keeper’s horror injury but may also come to be seen as the day the title was decided
By Luke Entwistle for Get French Football News
Title deciders don’t usually come in December but this certainly had the air of one. Paris Saint-Germain’s draws against Nantes and then Auxerre had opened the door to challengers but it was slammed shut on an eerie evening in Monaco.
Initially scheduled to take place in early January, this match was brought forward due to an addition to the calendar – the Trophée des Champions. The French equivalent of the Community Shield, pitting the winners of Ligue 1 against that of the Coupe de France (or the second-placed team in Ligue 1 in the event of a domestic double, a feat PSG achieved last season), it was set to take place in China before the start of the season. However, Chinese authorities pulled out of hosting the event at the last minute.
Continue reading...Wolves have confirmed the appointment of Vítor Pereira as their head coach on an 18-month contract. The Portuguese has joined from the Saudi Pro League club Al-Shabab as the successor to Gary O’Neil, who was sacked on Sunday.
Pereira, who has won domestic titles in Greece, Portugal and China, took training for the first time on Thursday. He arrives with Wolves second-bottom of the Premier League after four straight defeats. His first game will be on Sunday at Leicester, who are two places and five points above Wolves.
Continue reading...  | submitted by /u/Saltedline [link] [comments] |
Macau is marking the 25th anniversary of its handover to China. It was administered by the Portuguese until 20 December 1999 and was the last outpost under European rule in Asia. Photographer Eduardo Leal documents a city that has gone through enormous development
Continue reading...Interned after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese photographer eventually developed his singular style on the streets of Chicago – before taking it back to his native country
Continue reading...Brief talks on 'mutually beneficial’ relations will look at security and defence, but even modest ambitions will be difficult to agree
Nearly five years after the Brexit divorce, the EU is thinking again about its estranged ex-member across the Channel. The union’s 27 leaders will discuss its relationship with the UK on Thursday, for the first time since the election of Keir Starmer, who wants to reset relations and end the rancour of the Brexit years.
The talks, at an EU summit in Brussels, look set to be brief, forming part of a crowded lunch discussion on EU foreign policy covering issues such as the Middle East, China, Ukraine and the return of Donald Trump.
Continue reading...Pio Tikoduadua tells the Guardian the Pacific is ‘not a space for missile testing’ after China’s launch earlier this year raised concern in the region
Fiji’s defence minister has stressed the need for stability in the Pacific and welcomed moves to strengthen security ties with the US, while adding to criticism over China’s recent missile test for posing a threat to peace in the region.
Fiji, a country of about 1 million people strategically located in the Pacific, maintains ties and receives support from Washington and Beijing amid a wider struggle for influence by the two powers in the region.
Continue reading...Imagination Technologies had licences with two Chinese firms – but said it had not ‘implemented transactions’ that would enable the use of technology for military purposes
Chinese engineers developing chips for artificial intelligence that can be used in “advanced weapons systems” have gained access to cutting-edge UK technology, the Guardian can reveal.
Described by analysts as “China’s premier AI chip designers”, Moore Threads and Biren Technology are subject to US export restrictions over their development of chips that “can be used to provide artificial intelligence capabilities to further development of weapons of mass destruction, advanced weapons systems and hi-tech surveillance applications that create national security concerns”.
Continue reading...Trump wants a bloodbath for the federal employees, but government workers aren’t the only ones who will suffer.
The post Federal Labor Unions Steel Themselves for Trump and DOGE’s Mass Firings appeared first on The Intercept.
Claims of refused FOI requests into Duke of York’s business dealings come as controversy over alleged Chinese spy continues
Getting information from government departments about the Duke of York’s past business dealings is like playing “whack-a-mole”, it was claimed, as fallout over the alleged Chinese “spy” controversy continues, with China saying it was an attempt to “smear” it.
Calling for a register of royal interests, similar to that for MPs, and a full inquiry by the public accounts committee into royal finances, researchers trying to investigate Prince Andrew’s “opaque” finances claim their freedom of information (FoI) requests are regularly refused, making their work “impossible”.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Dan Jarvis has written to the Sikh Federation after allegations of people being stopped at UK airports
The UK will not tolerate attempts by foreign countries to harass or intimidate British citizens, the security minister has warned, after a number of Sikhs complained they were being targeted either by or on behalf of the Indian government.
Dan Jarvis has written to the Sikh Federation after reports of harassment involving British Sikhs, including people being stopped at UK airports and asked about their views on the Indian state.
Continue reading...Bridget’s parents liked Indian food, so long as it wasn’t too spicy, and invited me to cook a festive dish. Tears soon began streaming down their faces
I had been seeing my girlfriend for six months when she suggested we spend Christmas with her family. This was uncharted territory for me: past relationships had either not lasted long enough or had been with people whose families did not celebrate Christmas. I felt nervous, but was determined to make a good impression on Bridget’s parents, who lived in a remote rural community in the Scottish Borders – a part of the world that was very different from anything familiar to me.
Having grown up in a Muslim family, I was unused to traditions such as Christmas dinner. I worried that requesting halal meat might interfere with her family’s food plans. Bridget’s parents, being deeply kind and empathetic people, suggested that perhaps I could prepare a Christmas curry for the family. They enjoyed Indian food and this would allow me to bring a part of my cultural heritage to their home – which was how I came to be in their kitchen preparing a saag aloo, based on a recipe learned from my mother.
Continue reading...Thought Caitlin Clark was a funhouse mirror for the zeitgeist? Meet Cooper Flagg, the Duke star tapped to be the first white American in 48 years to go No 1 in the NBA draft
Five months ago USA Basketball convened an inter-squad scrimmage in Las Vegas before the Paris Olympics, and the standout player was a gawky teenager from Maine.
On that heady July day, Cooper Flagg showed flashes of his sky-high potential, out-jumping Bam Adebayo for a put-back layup, spinning off Jrue Holiday for a baseline jumper and burying a corner three over an outstretched Anthony Davis to key a near upset of Team USA’s “Monstars.” One NBA head coach in attendance called Flagg the 13th-best player in the gym (behind Indiana Pacers leading man Tyrese Halliburton and Boston Celtics point guard Derrick White, ostensibly), while Kevin Durant endorsed Flagg’s on court sangfroid as “a good sign.” As the clips of Flagg’s workout circulated online, hoops fans couldn’t help speculating about the further damage the 6ft 9in teen terror might do in college basketball.
Continue reading...Authorities impose night-time curfew to prevent looting as dozens reported killed across Mozambique and Malawi
The search for missing people has continued on the French territory of Mayotte, after Cyclone Chido devastated the islands on Saturday before sweeping through south-eastern Africa, where the death toll is climbing in Mozambique and Malawi.
Large parts of Mayotte’s main island, Grande-Terre, are still cut off from roads, internet and phone networks, as well as electricity and water.
Continue reading...For Pyongyang, dead soldiers are a price worth paying for the rewards of friendship with Moscow
A few years ago, it would have sounded fantastical to suggest that massed North Korean soldiers would fight on a European battlefield – as a Ukrainian commander noted last month. Yet about 10,000 are now thought to be fighting for Moscow, and on Tuesday a US official reported that “several hundred” had died in Russia’s Kursk region.
North Korea has one of the largest armies in the world, with more than 1.25 million personnel in a country of just 26 million. Despite its extraordinary nuclear and missile achievements, much of its vast stockpile of weaponry is thought to be out of date – though that hasn’t stopped it shipping as much as $5.5bn worth of arms and ammunition to Russia. The military has not engaged in large-scale combat since the end of the Korean war in 1953. At home, soldiers spend significant time trying to acquire food or basic supplies, including fuel.
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Continue reading...Yoon Suk Yeol was summoned for questioning over attempt to impose martial law earlier this month
South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, failed to appear before the country’s corruption watchdog on Wednesday, it said, after he was summoned for questioning over his attempt to impose martial law.
Yoon was stripped of his duties by parliament over the weekend after his short-lived 3 December martial law declaration, which plunged the country into its worst political turmoil in decades.
Continue reading...The classical musician, who performed with George Harrison and Van Morrison, died in a San Francisco hospital on Sunday
Zakir Hussain, one of India’s most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to global audiences, has died aged 73.
The Indian classical music icon died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, at a hospital in San Francisco on Sunday, his family said in a statement.
Continue reading...The jurors that sent Hall to death row never heard critical evidence that could have convinced them to spare his life. Some of them now support his bid for clemency.
The post Charles Hall Insisted He Wanted the Death Penalty. Now He’s Asking Biden for Mercy. appeared first on The Intercept.
Malaysians imprisoned in US prison camp agreed to testify against alleged ringleader of attacks that killed 202
Two Malaysian held in Guantánamo Bay since 2006 have been returned to Malaysia, after they pleaded guilty to charges related to the deadly 2002 Bali bombings and agreed to testify against the alleged ringleader of that and other attacks.
Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep arrived back in Malaysia, state media reported, where they will undergo a rehabilitation process before being reintegrated into society.
Continue reading...The FBI is still touting the debunked idea that its agents could access communications without opening a door to foreign hackers.
The post How to Protect Yourself From the Salt Typhoon Hack, No Matter What the FBI Says appeared first on The Intercept.
Tulip Siddiq denies claims that she brokered corrupt deal with Russia to build nuclear power plant
Keir Starmer has given his full support to Tulip Siddiq, the Treasury minister, after Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission accused her and family members of embezzling billions as part of a deal for a nuclear power plant.
Siddiq, whose role as economic secretary to the Treasury includes responsibility for tackling financial corruption. She has denied any involvement in the claims.
Continue reading...Seeking to lock up Asif Rahman during his Espionage Act trial, prosecutors alleged the CIA analyst had an ideological motive to leak.
The post Judge Reverses Decision to Release Alleged CIA Leaker Ahead of Trial appeared first on The Intercept.
Whether they fled or stayed behind, the survivors of Israel’s scorched-earth campaign in northern Gaza experienced untold horrors.
The post Trauma and Terror in the North of Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.
This essay was written with Nathan E. Sanders. It originally appeared as a response to Evgeny Morozov in Boston Review‘s forum, “The AI We Deserve.”
For a technology that seems startling in its modernity, AI sure has a long history. Google Translate, OpenAI chatbots, and Meta AI image generators are built on decades of advancements in linguistics, signal processing, statistics, and other fields going back to the early days of computing—and, often, on seed funding from the U.S. Department of Defense. But today’s tools are hardly the intentional product of the diverse generations of innovators that came before. We agree with Morozov that the “refuseniks,” as he ...
President formally files new plans under Paris agreement and hails ‘boldest climate agenda in American history’
Joe Biden has announced tougher targets on the US’s carbon dioxide emissions for the next decade, in a defiant final gesture intended as a “capstone” on his legacy on the climate.
With just weeks to go before Donald Trump enters the White House, the Biden administration is formally filing new plans under the Paris agreement – the global climate treaty from which Trump has vowed to withdraw.
Continue reading...Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha, the makers of our No 2 film of the year, are currently under arrest. They talk about their trial, crossing red lines and why they’re ready to fight
• The best films of 2024
• More on the best culture of 2024
You’re on trial in Iran for making My Favourite Cake. You were in court this morning. What happened?
Behtash Sanaeeha: We were supposed to be in court. But there is very high air pollution in Tehran today, so the government closed all public buildings.
What are you charged with?
BS: We have three charges against us. One is propaganda against the regime, another is breaking Islamic rules by making a vulgar movie. And the third is spreading prostitution and libertinism. It’s ridiculous.
Sarah Davidson says the government has a shot at solving profound generational challenges and Bryan Merton welcomes Polly Toynbee’s positive perspective. But Bernie Evans wants to see more action right now, and Philip Oliver urges Labour to keep voters engaged
Polly Toynbee is correct that there are few quick fixes for the biggest problems facing the country (Labour seems to be flailing, but keep faith: Starmer’s long-term plans are both radical and sound, 17 December). But we shouldn’t delude ourselves that political leadership alone is enough to shift the dial on many of these generational challenges.
While I have critiqued the detail of Whitehall reforms announced by Labour this winter, most of us who have worked in or with Whitehall would accept the need for these institutions to work differently. Central government must pay proper respect to the distinct contributions and roles of others – the devolved administrations; local government; public bodies; and the third and private sectors.
Continue reading...“The funds to CJA are critical for building community resilience against climate change threats.”
The post EPA Staffers Demand Biden Release Climate Funds Withheld Over Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.
Spike in fossil fuel use a result of global gas crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
The world’s coal use is expected to reach a fresh high of 8.7bn tonnes this year, and remain at near-record levels for years as a result of a global gas crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
There has been record production and trade of coal and power generation from coal since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine inflated global gas market prices, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Continue reading...From soft, buttery cheddar to crumbly caerphilly, here’s our pick of cheeses that will benefit you, the animal and the environment
The fruity tang of a strong cheddar; the creamy ooze of a brie; the honk of a blue so ripe it threatens to walk off the board. To cheese lovers, these are as much a part of this season’s sensory joys as mince pies and a Christmas tree glowing with lights.
Yet they can come at an environmental price. Sustainability is frustratingly complicated for those of us who want to lay on a cheeseboard without guilt this Christmas. Most of us now know about livestock emissions, global deforestation in the name of producing feed, and the pollution – via agricultural runoff – of local waterways. A few years ago, we were told being sustainable meant avoiding dairy completely; then we learned about the benefits ruminants can bring to the soil when farmed regeneratively.
The cheddar:
Hafod
From £7.75 at the Courtyard Dairy
The wensleydale:
Stonebeck
From £17 at Paxton & Whitfield
The ‘camembert’:
Corscombe
£15.15 at Neal’s Yard Dairy
The goat’s:
Sinodun Hill and Polmarkyn Dairy
£14.95 at Paxton & Whitfield
£6.20 at Hanson Fine Foods
The ‘manchego’:
Corra Linn
From £10.65 at the Courtyard Dairy
The blue:
Lanark blue
£9.95 at Pong Cheese
The caerphilly:
Duckett’s caerphilly
£5.25 at the Newt
The reblochon:
Rollright
£10.95 at the Newt
The jurors that sent Hall to death row never heard critical evidence that could have convinced them to spare his life. Some of them now support his bid for clemency.
The post Charles Hall Insisted He Wanted the Death Penalty. Now He’s Asking Biden for Mercy. 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.
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