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Ultimate custard, perfectly timed pasta, espresso-fuelled stews: 37 brilliant recipe hacks
Sun, 26 Jan 2025 14:00:52 GMT
Make a splash in the kitchen – top chefs and cooks share easy ways to take your dinner to the next level
Chef-owner of Murano and Cafe Murano, London, and co-host of the Dish from Waitrose podcast
Continue reading...From chef to social-media sensation, the queen of spuds celebrates ‘the glory’ of the humble potato
Potatoes are my heart, so it had to happen,” says Poppy O’Toole, the 31-year-old chef and TikTok superstar once referred to by Nigella Lawson as the “high priestess of the potato”. O’Toole has every reason to be sincere about the humble spud. In November 2020, when she was an out-of-work chef, she made a TikTok video of her “crispy crunchy parmesan roasties”, which quickly got a million views. Since then, she has built up 4.4 million followers on TikTok, 1.1 million on Instagram, and is a regular on TV, whipping up potato dishes on Saturday Kitchen and This Morning. It is only a wonder that it has taken her so long to get around to writing an entire potato-themed cookbook. Next month’s The Potato Book is the fourth in her Poppy Cooks series. “Good things come to those who wait,” she says.
I meet O’Toole for coffee in a cafe in the centre of Birmingham. “You’ll have to excuse me, I’ve got green fingers,” she says. Last night she went to a party dressed as Shrek. She grew up in the West Midlands, lives nearby, and a lot of her training was done here, first under Glynn Purnell at the recently closed Purnell’s, and then under Alex Claridge at the Wilderness. We drool over one of the city’s very best potato dishes, the aloo tuk at Opheem. “Aktar Islam knows how to respect a vegetable,” she says, admiringly. When she was writing The Potato Book, she realised that in all of her previous jobs, she’d been asked to look after the spuds. “They’d be like, ‘Oh yeah, Poppy, do dauphinoise’, or ‘Poppy, do the fondant potatoes’. Maybe I was always meant to be the potato queen.”
Continue reading...Three young scientists set traps to capture and film species of special concern in move that can help conserve the shrew
In a 7,000ft-high marshy spot in the cold, rugged eastern Sierra mountains, two groups of mammals scurried around at night. One was going about their normal nocturnal routine of hunting worms. The other was hoping for a glimpse of an elusive creature: the Mount Lyell shrew, the only known California mammal never photographed alive.
The three young student scientists faced a tight timeline. They baited 150 pitfall traps – small cups dug into the earth to catch wandering creatures – with cat food and mealworms and monitored them across a 600ft area, checking each trap every two hours for any signs of their goal. They slept no more than two hours at a time. Shrews have such a fast metabolism that they die in traps quickly, one of the reasons this species had never been photographed or studied live.
Continue reading...Fancy food halls and freebies are tactics in the store wars. But do customers truly care where they shop?
“We’re sorry the machine isn’t working now.” This was the crushing notice greeting shoppers looking for a free hit last week in Waitrose’s Finchley Road store in north London. The unpalatable fact was that neither of the two complimentary coffee makers were in operation.
Taking into account apocalyptic fires and geopolitical instability, this mechanical breakdown may not have qualified as a harbinger of global crisis. Indeed, customers took the malfunction in their stride, gamely going about their business uncaffeinated.
Continue reading...The Franz Ferdinand frontman, and former chef, on songwriting, souffles and celebrating his Greek roots
Alex Kapranos has been a regular at Le Pantruche since he made Paris his most regular home two or three years ago, following his marriage to French singer-songwriter Clara Luciani. The bistro is a 1930s fantasy of a neighbourhood restaurant in Pigalle, set among the guitar shops of the city’s equivalent of Tin Pan Alley or Denmark Street: a dozen tables and a well-stocked bar crowded into a tiny shopfront room; today’s wines by the glass chalked on a board (nothing over €10); a menu that changes according to what seasonal flavours chef Franck Baranger is excited about cooking; casually stylish regulars who all seem to know Martin, waiter and maitre d’, by name.
Kapranos was introduced to the restaurant by the producer of Franz Ferdinand’s new album, who has a studio round the corner. He loves it here for many reasons, he says, but specifically for the everyday miracle of its Grand Marnier souffle. Before he was a rock star, Kapranos was a chef himself, most notably at Glasgow’s outpost of London’s Groucho Club, Saint Judes, so he knows what’s involved. “At Saint Judes, we used to do this thing called an inside-out chocolate pudding,” he says. “When it was perfectly executed, you had this wonderful light crust a bit like a cannoli. And then you would just tap it gently, and the whole thing would collapse in on itself and this gooey, delicious chocolate would ooze out. But to get it right was literally a margin of about 10 seconds of cooking. And if you fucked it up, that meant you had to start again. We didn’t even try souffles – but when they do them perfectly each time here, I’m still just awestruck.”
Continue reading...Is it still worth queueing for a croissant? What kind of flavour is ‘swicy’? And who on earth are the leguminati? Tony Naylor has the answers
As difficult as it may be to believe, there was a time when Britain was not obsessed with food. Rewind to 1984 and this phenomenon was so new that in The Official Foodie Handbook journalists Ann Barr and Paul Levy were poking gentle fun at (as Levy later wrote in the Guardian) a new breed of “perfectly sane people” who “had suddenly become obsessed with every aspect of food”.
The book was not alone in identifying the foodie. By 1980, the New York magazine restaurant critic, Gael Greene, was observing the behaviour of “serious foodies”, too. But Barr and Levy, then working at Harper’s & Queen magazine, certainly popularised this depiction of ardent hobbyists who bonded over artisan cheese, travelled widely to eat, dug for organic self-sufficiency or studied food’s interaction with art and literature.
Continue reading...Research into the disease has never been more far-reaching, but there is little consensus as to what is causing the rocketing rates of diagnosis in young adults
In 2022, around 16% of the 20 million people with cancer worldwide were under 50. Cancer has always been markedly more of an older person’s disease, says Lynn Turner, director of research at Worldwide Cancer Research. But between 1990 and 2019, the incidence of the disease in under-50s rose by 79%, according to research published in the British Medical Journal in 2023. That short timeframe means the rise cannot be explained by genetic factors, according to Tracey Woodruff, director of the University of California, San Francisco’s programme on reproductive health and the environment.
Many of these “early-onset” cases are happening in wealthier countries, says Kathryn Bradbury, senior research fellow at the University of Auckland’s school of population health. The rates are striking because younger populations are mainly non-smokers, says Mary Beth Terry, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University. About two-thirds of cancers in under-50s occur in women, she adds.
Continue reading...This charismatic Vietnamese place stands out, even among all the attention-seekers on Upper Street Islington
Dzo! Viet Kitchen, 163 Upper Street, London N1 1US. Small plates £7.90-£11.90, large and sharing plates £10.90-£25.90, dessert £7.50, Saigon beer £6, wine from £35
You’ll never want for an emergency schnitzel on Islington’s Upper Street. Or a plate of Padrón peppers. Or a charred broccoli salad, heady with the scent of health consciousness. You’ll never want for anything. Some years ago, I walked the road from Angel tube at the southern end to Highbury & Islington tube at the northern, counting places to eat. It was a bit like the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, only for people who have earned their prescription for statins. Back then there were well over 100 restaurants, and many more if you counted those tucked away down sidestreets. It’s a curious place, both profoundly neighbourhood and very much not. Most businesses were sparrows and starlings; a few were garish kingfishers.
Continue reading...Our Mexican food specialist gives us her take on hot sauces from UK supermarkets
• ‘An absolute belter’: Grace Dent tests the best extra-chocolatey biscuits
What a fun job, tasting hot sauces! I had a great time with my 13-year-old and her Ethiopian pal, who assured me of her skill in this department thanks to the traditionally spicy food her family eats at home.
We tasted the sauces on their own and with food. Both are essential: with the first drop, you’re looking for the flavour profile and overall taste; with the second mouthful on food – in our case a margherita pizza – you’re looking for how the heat and flavour of the sauce cut through. The moment the heat from the chillies comes into contact with food, especially carbohydrates and fats, the potency is reduced and the heat is sucked up. If you want a sauce to season food and enhance its flavours, then you need more heat than is obvious, and definitely more heat than when tasting the sauces on their own.
Continue reading...Researchers say study may help global efforts in controlling disease that still destroys crops today
It was a disaster that killed about 1 million people, devastating 19th century Ireland, but while the potato disease linked to the Irish famine is well known, a battle has raged over where it originated.
Scientists have long been divided over whether the fungus-like pathogen Phtytophthora infestans cropped up in the Andes or originated in Mexico.
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? By Mark Blacklock. Read by Joe Layton
Continue reading...Under a settlement with Ohio’s attorney general, GOP operative Pat Lee can never fundraise for charity in the state again.
The post Trump Inauguration Official’s “Phony Charity” Allegedly Pocketed East Palestine Train Disaster Funds appeared first on The Intercept.
I was separated from my mom at age 10. Donald Trump's reelection has reignited my family's fears.
The post Why My Memories of Being Taken From My Mom at the Border Came Flooding Back 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...Why are your favourite products getting smaller but costing the same? From toilet paper rolls to snacks, shrinkflation is the sneaky tactic is affecting many things we buy.
In this video, Neelam Tailor looks into how companies hide shrinkflation and what you can do about it.
After a holiday season where festive treats like Cadbury’s Christmas selection boxes shrank while prices stayed the same, shrinkflation continues to impact shoppers in 2025. Start the year informed and learn how to spot these subtle changes to protect your budget.
Continue reading...Hi Reddit! We’re a team of tech journalists from MIT Technology Review, excited to answer all of your questions about emerging tech in 2025 and beyond.
We are:
We just published our annual list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies. Every year, our reporters and editors look for promising technologies poised to have a real impact on the world. We consider dozens of advances across the fields of AI, biotech, computing, and climate. We can’t see the future, but we expect these ten breakthroughs to affect our world in a big way, for decades to come.
Here are the ten items on this year’s list:
Ask us anything! (We’ll be here responding to your questions this Friday, January 10 at 12 p.m. EST, but feel free to get 'em in early.) Proof pics here.
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
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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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Is there room for a more exploratory – rather than confrontational – dialogue?
The question I grew up as the scapegoat in a toxic family where my mother played her children off against each other. I went no-contact with her a few years ago and keep my interactions with my siblings to a minimum.
I am now the divorced mother of four young adults, all living away from home. I have a male relative who, with his partner, has become close to two of my children. Initially I welcomed this, but it has increasingly come at some cost to me. The relative has been expressing astonishment that a person who is such a mess (me, apparently) could have brought up such wonderful children. By doing that, they are trying to cause a rift between myself and the children. They have also become very friendly with my ex-husband, despite the latter never being interested in cultivating any sort of relationship with them until I ended the marriage.
Continue reading...By denying funding to the Climate Justice Alliance over Palestine, Biden went after Trump’s political opponents for him.
The post Biden Attack on Nonprofit Over Palestine Stance Made Trump’s Job Easier appeared first on The Intercept.
Hi Reddit! We’re a team of tech journalists from MIT Technology Review, excited to answer all of your questions about emerging tech in 2025 and beyond.
We are:
We just published our annual list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies. Every year, our reporters and editors look for promising technologies poised to have a real impact on the world. We consider dozens of advances across the fields of AI, biotech, computing, and climate. We can’t see the future, but we expect these ten breakthroughs to affect our world in a big way, for decades to come.
Here are the ten items on this year’s list:
Ask us anything! (We’ll be here responding to your questions this Friday, January 10 at 12 p.m. EST, but feel free to get 'em in early.) Proof pics here.
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.
China’s tech leap challenges US dominance through innovation. But unregulated competition increases the risk of catastrophe
Eight years ago, Vladimir Putin proclaimed that mastering artificial intelligence (AI) would make a nation the “ruler of the world”. Western tech sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine should have dashed his ambitions to lead in AI by 2030. But that might be too hasty a judgment. Last week, the Chinese lab DeepSeek unveiled R1, an AI that analysts say rivals OpenAI’s top reasoning model, o1. Astonishingly, it matches o1’s capabilities while using a fraction of the computing power – and at a tenth of the cost. Predictably, one of Mr Putin’s first moves in 2025 was to align with China on AI development. R1’s launch seems no coincidence, coming just as Donald Trump backed OpenAI’s $500bn Stargate plan to outpace its peers. OpenAI has singled out DeepSeek’s parent, High Flyer Capital, as a potential threat. But at least three Chinese labs claim to rival or surpass OpenAI’s achievements.
Anticipating tighter US chip sanctions, Chinese companies stockpiled critical processors to ensure their AI models could advance despite restricted access to hardware. DeepSeek’s success underscores the ingenuity born of necessity: lacking massive datacentres or powerful specialised chips, it achieved breakthroughs through better data curation and optimisation of its model. Unlike proprietary systems, R1’s source code is public, allowing anyone competent to modify it. Yet its openness has limits: overseen by China’s internet regulator, R1 conforms to “core socialist values”. Type in Tiananmen Square or Taiwan, and the model reportedly shuts down the conversation.
Continue reading...Poland has promised Netanyahu safe passage to an Auschwitz memorial service. Former and current EU officials are speaking out.
The post Netanyahu Has an ICC Arrest Warrant. Poland’s Promise to Ignore It Would Be a “Grave Mistake.” appeared first on The Intercept.
Pyongyang said to be planning to increase support despite high casualties among estimated 11,000 already sent
North Korea is preparing to send more soldiers to fight in the Ukraine war, military officials in South Korea have said, despite reports of heavy casualties among troops from the communist state who have already been sent to the battlefield.
The claim that Pyongyang could be planning to increase its support for the Kremlin came as Donald Trump suggested he would attempt to rekindle his relationship with Kim Jong-un, describing the North Korean leader as a “smart guy” in an interview with Fox News.
Continue reading...The CIA director nominee’s tour through the revolving door included work on AI — an industry now angling to pick up major government contracts.
The post Democrats Are Worried About John Ratcliffe’s Role in the 2020 Election. They Should Also Take a Look At His AI Gigs. appeared first on The Intercept.
Asylum-seekers are being detained because they come from Russia and Central Asia, immigrants and attorneys told The Intercept.
The post They Flee Russia as Dissidents Seeking Asylum. The U.S. Locks Them Up. appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump’s inauguration, fires in California, the hostage release in Israel and Storm Éowyn: the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists
• Warning: this gallery contains images that some readers may find distressing
Continue reading...Trump lifted sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Within hours, Netanyahu launched a new invasion.
The post Trump Halts Sanctions on Israeli Settlers, Threatens to Seize Assets of War Crimes Investigators appeared first on The Intercept.
Conversation on Sunday was the two leaders’ first call since the inauguration of the new US president
President Donald Trump and the prime minister, Keir Starmer, have spoken over the phone and agreed to “meet soon”.
The two leaders spoke for 45 minutes on Sunday in their first call since Trump’s inauguration. According to Downing Street’s readout of the call, they discussed trade and the economy and security in the Middle East.
Continue reading...‘It was striking that the White House memo included toilets and shower heads as a presidential priority,’ said one expert
From crusading against showers he feels don’t sufficiently wash his hair to reversing protections for a small fish he calls “worthless”, Donald Trump’s personal fixations have helped shape his first environmental priorities as US president.
While withdrawing the US from the Paris climate accords and declaring an “energy emergency” were among Trump’s most noteworthy executive orders on his first day in office, both were further down a list of priorities put out by the White House than measures to improve “consumer choice in vehicles, shower heads, toilets, washing machines, lightbulbs and dishwashers”.
Continue reading...Progressive Conservative leader of Canada’s most populous province seeks ‘strong mandate’ to counter 25% tariff plan
The Ontario premier, Doug Ford, has said an early election is needed in the Canadian province in order to fend off an income “attack” from Donald Trump as a trade war looms between the close allies.
But opposition parties criticized the move, calling it a “distraction” from an ongoing criminal investigation into the government’s handling of a controversial multibillion-dollar land swap.
Continue reading...From Europe to Africa and South America, countries reaffirm commitment to tackle crisis
World leaders, senior ministers and key figures in climate diplomacy have, one by one, reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris agreement this week, in response to the order by Donald Trump to withdraw the US from the pact.
The prospect of the world keeping temperatures to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, as the treaty calls for, was damaged by the incoming US president’s move. Hopes of meeting the target were already fast receding, and last year was the first to consistently breach the 1.5C limit, but the goal will be measured over years or even decades and stringent cuts to emissions now could still make a difference.
Continue reading...Tech CEOs cozying up to Trump want to reshape reality to their politics.
The post The Broligarchy: The Who’s Who of the Silicon Gilded Age appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump hopes to gut birthright citizenship via executive order. In lawsuits filed across the country, immigrants seek to stop him.
The post The Pregnant Immigrants Fighting Trump’s Bid to End Birthright Citizenship appeared first on The Intercept.
Former secretary of state has faced threats from Iran since since he took hard-line stances on the Islamic Republic
The Ohio Republican Mike Turner said on Sunday’s Face the Nation he is “very concerned” for former secretary of state Mike Pompeo after Donald Trump revoked his security detail earlier in the week.
Pompeo and his top aide, Brian Hook, who have faced threats from Iran since they took hard-line stances on the Islamic Republic during Trump’s first administration, were told of the loss of protection on Wednesday evening.
Continue reading...By denying funding to the Climate Justice Alliance over Palestine, Biden went after Trump’s political opponents for him.
The post Biden Attack on Nonprofit Over Palestine Stance Made Trump’s Job Easier appeared first on The Intercept.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is writing law today. This has required no changes in legislative procedure or the rules of legislative bodies—all it takes is one legislator, or legislative assistant, to use generative AI in the process of drafting a bill.
In fact, the use of AI by legislators is only likely to become more prevalent. There are currently projects in the US House, US Senate, and legislatures around the world to trial the use of AI in various ways: searching databases, drafting text, summarizing meetings, performing policy research and analysis, and more. A Brazilian municipality ...
Trump boasted he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine as soon as he took office. That didn’t happen.
The post Trump Promised a Russia–Ukraine Peace Deal. Where Is It? appeared first on The Intercept.
Executive order comes two days after visit to LA, which has been devastated by wildfires that burned over 35,000 acres
Donald Trump on Sunday issued an executive order directing the federal government to override the state of California’s water management practices if they are found to be ineffective.
The order comes two days after the president visited the Los Angeles region, which has been devastated by a series of wildfires that have killed at least 28 people and burned more than 35,000 acres.
Continue reading...Ice confirms ‘enhanced targeted operations’ in a city on edge after Trump officials warned of enforcement actions
US federal authorities have begun immigration raids in Chicago, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) statement confirmed on Sunday, just days after incoming “border czar” Tom Homan said officials were “reconsidering” after details leaked into the press.
In a statement, Ice said its agents, along with the FBI, ATF, DEA, CBP and the US Marshals Service, had begun conducting “enhanced targeted operations” in Chicago “to enforce US immigration law and preserve public safety and national security by keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities”.
Continue reading...Israel delays removal of troops, accusing Hamas of breaking terms of deal by failing to release civilian hostage
Conditions are “not yet in place” for the safe return of Lebanese citizens to southern Lebanon, according to a joint statement by the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and Unifil’s head of mission and force commander Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro.
In a post on X, the joint statement read:
Much has changed in Lebanon since the Cessation of Hostilities Understanding came into force in the early hours of 27 November 2024.
Violence has dramatically decreased. In many areas of southern Lebanon, hundreds of thousands of people have been able to return to their towns and villages. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have shown resolve in deploying to positions from which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are withdrawing. Supported by Unifil, the LAF is helping restore services and facilitating access to communities most affected by conflict…
Continue reading...Memo offers further guidance to ‘stop-work’ directive and how to achieve Trump’s America first policy
Donald Trump urged US Agency for International Development (USAid) workers to join the effort to transform how the federal government allocates aid around the world in line with his America first policy. His administration threatened “disciplinary action” for any staff ignoring the its orders, issued days into Trump’s second presidency.
A sharply-worded memo sent Saturday to more than 10,000 staff at USAid offered further guidance to Friday’s “stop-work” directive that effectively put a sweeping freeze on US foreign aid worldwide. The memo, reviewed by Reuters, laid out expectations for the workforce on how to achieve Trump’s goals.
Continue reading...US president has suggested Palestinians should leave Gaza for neighbouring countries to ‘just clean out’ whole strip
Donald Trump’s proposal that large numbers of Palestinians should leave Gaza to “just clean out” the whole strip has been rejected by US allies in the region and attacked as dangerous, illegal and unworkable by lawyers and activists.
The US president said he would like hundreds of thousands of people to move to neighbouring countries, either “temporarily or could be long-term”. Destinations could include Jordan, which already hosts more than 2.7 million Palestinian refugees, and Egypt, he added.
Continue reading...Official cites review of course curriculum at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, where new recruits get basic training
Donald Trump’s order halting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives has led the US air force to suspend course instruction on a documentary about the first Black airmen in the US military, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, a US official said on Saturday.
The famed Black aviators included 450 pilots who fought overseas in segregated units during the second world war. Their success in combat helped pave the way for Harry Truman’s decision to desegregate the armed forces in 1948.
Continue reading...An increase in economic activity should be directed towards rebuilding public services and turbocharging a green transition, writes Colin Hines. And Mike Lake thinks all could be solved by Rachel Reeves launching a meme coin
It would appear that Rachel Reeves would rather put growth ahead of protecting our children’s future with net zero policies (Rachel Reeves’s bid to expand Heathrow could add £40 to airline ticket, 23 January). Yet in the acres of coverage about this government’s growth mantra, three crucial questions are never asked, let alone answered.
First, what exactly is the end goal of growth? The response should be an increase in economic activity directed predominantly towards rebuilding public services and turbocharging a green transition.
Continue reading...Vice-president says Trump made right decision; Republican senator says pardoning violent offenders is a ‘mistake’
JD Vance on Sunday tried to offer a rationale to a record number of executive orders and controversial policy shifts enacted by Donald Trump during the first five days of the latter man’s second presidency, claiming without evidence that the moves “accomplished more than Joe Biden” and his administration did in the last four years.
But one of those moves – Trump’s blanket pardons for about 1,500 people who attacked the US Capitol in early 2021 – was labeled a “mistake” by a prominent fellow Republican of the president and Vance: US senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who feared the clemency could end up spurring more violence.
Continue reading...Trump began his inauguration day encircled by a bevy of oligarchs, but ended it giving favor to his mob
The most sacred ceremony conducted at the Trump inauguration undoubtedly for Donald Trump personally, with its mystical meaning elevating him to his greatest height as an emperor, was the prayer for Fred Trump. Father Frank Mann, a retired priest from Brooklyn, offered a blessing to the ruthless real estate operator who made his fortune in the borough and bankrolled his son’s pilgrimage over the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan to blow a half-billion dollars through six bankruptcies and the financial collapse of the Taj Mahal Hotel and Trump Castle casino in Jersey City, and a blessing for Fred’s wife, too, without whom “this day would never be the miracle that has just begun”.
Father Frank had struck up a relationship with Donald after he sent him a photograph of how he had weeded the Trump family gravesite at the Lutheran All Faiths Cemetery. A single tombstone marks not only Donald’s parents, but also Fred’s father and mother, Donald’s original immigrant grandparents – Friedrich deemed an undesirable in Germany – and Fred Jr, subject of Fred’s abuse that helped drive him into alcoholism and his early spot in the family plot. “From their place in heaven,” intoned Father Frank, “may they shield their son from all harm by their loving protection and give him the strength to guide our nation along the path that will make America great again”.
Sidney Blumenthal is a Guardian US columnist. He is a former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, has published three books of a projected five-volume political life of Abraham Lincoln: A Self-Made Man, Wrestling With His Angel and All the Powers of Earth
Continue reading...Elon Musk grew up with the privileges of a stratified racial order and Peter Thiel lived in a city that venerated Hitler
When Elon Musk’s arm shot out in a stiff arm salute at Donald Trump’s inaugural celebrations, startled viewers mostly drew the obvious comparison.
But in the fired-up debate about Musk’s intent that followed, as the world’s richest man insisted he wasn’t trying to be a Nazi, speculation inevitably focused on whether his roots in apartheid-era South Africa offered an insight.
Continue reading...The movement is on the upswing thanks to Trump but a question lingers: what is their role in his administration?
Minutes into the National Pro-Life Summit, Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, had convinced its more than attendees to leap to their feet. She was recording a video, and she had a message she wanted them to send to Donald Trump.
“THANK YOU MISTER PRESIDENT!” the crowd in the ballroom thundered, before bursting into raucous applause – complete with wolf whistles.
Continue reading...In his first few days in office, the president reversed four years of work on DEI efforts in the federal government
Within his first few days in office, Donald Trump reversed four years of work to increase diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the federal government.
Since taking office, he’s signed a flurry of executive orders, two of which amount to crackdowns on DEI within the federal government. One overturns Joe Biden’s efforts to increase DEI programs in the federal government, while a second bans DEI measures from being taken by the federal government.
Continue reading...Dutton’s cabinet reshuffle added the shadow minister of government efficiency role to Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s position – but it sounds a bit familiar
On 22 January, Gina Rinehart said: “If we are sensible, we should set up a Doge [Department of Government Efficiency] immediately, reduce government waste, government tape and regulations.”
Mere days later, on 25 January, Peter Dutton appointed Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as the shadow minister for government efficiency (Smoge?), describing her new job as to cut “wasteful spending”.
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Continue reading...California, New York and other states resist by expanding healthcare and education and limiting detention centers
As Donald Trump tightens the nation’s immigration policies, lawmakers in Democrat-led states are proposing new measures that could erect legal obstacles for federal immigration officials and help immigrants lacking legal status avoid deportation.
The resistance efforts in California, New York and other states are a counterpoint to the many Republican-led states advancing measures to aid Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, highlighting a national divide.
Continue reading...Across the world, exporters to the US are preparing for an era of disruption if tariffs are imposed
Donald Trump, a self-declared “big believer” in tariffs on foreign goods, has promised to use them to boost the US economy, revitalize America’s industrial heartlands, and reward the tens of millions of voters who sent him back to the White House.
“Come make your product in America,” the president told top executives gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, promising low taxes to those who take him up on the invitation. “But if you don’t make your product in America – which is your prerogative – then, very simply, you will have to pay a tariff.”
Continue reading...Experts suggest that replicating the conditions that saw neighorhoods burn to the ground may not be the best policy
Gavin Newsom signed a $2.5bn wildfire relief package this week, with the goal of helping Los Angeles “rebuild faster”. Both the California governor and the Los Angeles mayor, Karen Bass, pledged to suspend environmental and other regulations to make rebuilding homes and businesses easier. Donald Trump has reportedly said he wants the city to recover quickly so that the 2028 Olympics, which Los Angeles is hosting, can be “the greatest Games”.
But many environmental and urban planning experts say that Los Angeles should actually be pausing, and taking a moment to consider how and where to safely rebuild communities located in high-risk wildfire zones.
Continue reading...The first time round, high fashion shunned the president’s family. Now industry figures are flocking to them
Mussolini once said that “any power whatsoever is destined to fail before fashion. If fashion says skirts are short, you will not succeed in lengthening them, even with the guillotine.” For that reason, far-right authoritarian movements have long attempted to capture the fashion system. We can argue endlessly about whether the new Trump administration can be compared to fascism. I think that it meets most of the key traits identified by Umberto Eco, but others will disagree. Regardless of your stance, it’s fair to say that the women of the Republican party have deployed fashion in ways that send a political message.
Though men especially like to highlight fashion’s supposed vapidity (tell that to Roland Barthes, I always think) it is an art form and a visual language that has much to tell us about the state of the world, and is as worthy of analysis as any other aspect of culture. The rise of the tradwife – and the modest, floral prairie dresses so beloved by these rightwing influencers, which then trickled down to the high street – has mirrored the shift in the US much further to the right. As this new administration inevitably comes to roll back more women’s rights, I wonder how it will be reflected in fashion. Prairie dresses are on the way out, but there are other styles to replace them.
Continue reading...In first week in office, president has made false claims on topics from immigration and economy to Panama canal
Donald Trump had been US president again for less than 15 minutes when he made his first factually dubious claim.
“The vicious, violent and unfair weaponisation of the justice department and our government will end,” he said early in his inaugural address. There is no evidence that former president Joe Biden ordered the justice department to prosecute Trump and no violence took place.
Continue reading...Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do
‘Abba, selach ’ethon la nakhru mah h’mon pelalin!” Flood the zone with shit. Police investigators that pore professionally over horrific imagery online have counselling and mental health support. This week I’ve followed the news from Musk’s America for the sake of another supposedly funny Observer column, and no one’s checking to see if I’m coping. I’m going to go to CEX here in St Albans tomorrow to score a second-hand copy of Ruggero Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust, just for some light relief.
“Abba, selach ’ethon la nakhru mah h’mon pelalin!” Flood the zone with shit. I asked to file this week’s supposedly funny column a day later than usual, hoping there might be some glimmer of hope by 4pm Wednesday. On Monday night I went out to do my standup show at Dorking Halls, and four hours later, when I got back to my hotel, the routine I’d just performed about America’s new leader Elon Musk was already irrelevant, white supremacists worldwide delighted that he appeared to have given two full-on Nazi salutes to the faithful. I didn’t have that on my Trump inauguration ceremony bingo card.
Stewart Lee tours Stewart Lee vs the Man-Wulf this year, with a Royal Festival Hall run in July
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a letter of up to 250 words to be considered for publication, email it to us at observer.letters@observer.co.uk
Continue reading...Diplomatic frenzy and rattled nerves in republic as officials and former president reject US president’s comments
From a modern control room high above the canal expansion – overlooking the Cocolí locks, then lakes, rainforest canopy and, eventually, the Atlantic ocean – it barely registers that the era of gunboat diplomacy is returning to the Panama canal.
But four days into Donald Trump’s second administration, here we are. Trump has declared that he is “taking back” the Panama canal, sending TV crews from Washington to Beijing scrambling here to cover a crisis that has led to frenzied diplomatic efforts and elicited fears of a repeat of the 1989 US military invasion.
Continue reading...Confusing and capricious, Trump started as he means to go on: chaos, dysfunction and a coalition of creeps; Ruby Franke was a social media star who made viral videos about her six children – until she was jailed for child abuse. Now her eldest daughter Shari is telling her side of the story; and No Dylan but loads of Coldplay! What the songs with a billion streams on Spotify tell us about music taste today.
Continue reading...Advocates say the bill will put domestic violence survivors who face false allegations from their abusers at greater risk of deportation.
The post Republicans Say This Anti-Immigrant Bill Will Protect Victims of Abuse. It Will Do the Opposite. appeared first on The Intercept.
GoFundMe campaigns tend to favor the white and wealthy. After the Eaton fire, Altadena’s Black community is fighting back.
The post Which LA Fire Victims Get Money on GoFundMe — and Who Gets Left Out? appeared first on The Intercept.
The orders require drafting strategies to enforce the gender binary (within 30 days) and meetings on fighting DEI and environmental justice (monthly).
The post Trump’s Executive Orders Are Full of Deadlines. We’re Tracking Them. appeared first on The Intercept.
Trans, intersex, and nonbinary people applying for passports will no longer be able to select an “X” marker for gender.
The post Rubio Orders State Department to Stop Issuing Accurate Passports to Trans People appeared first on The Intercept.
The government has announced a public inquiry into why authorities failed to stop Axel Rudakubana before he killed three girls in Southport. But is it enough to stop another such attack? John Harris asks the counter-terrorism practitioner Rashad Ali. Plus, the Guardian political correspondent Kiran Stacey explores how Keir Starmer will deal with Donald Trump’s return
Continue reading...Warehouse strike in Russia ‘destroys 200 Shahed drones’; Ryazan oil refinery hit again, says Kyiv’s military. What we know on day 1,069
Russia on Sunday claimed its troops had captured Velyka Novosilka, a strategically important town in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine. The statement could not be independently verified, and Ukraine’s 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade said its troops had only strategically withdrawn from certain parts of Velyka Novosilka to avoid encirclement. “This does not mean that we have completely left the city, the fighting in Velyka Novosilka continues. All actions are aimed at minimising our own losses and maximum damage to the enemy.” The brigade said the withdrawal would make it topographically difficult for Russians to advance by making the river an obstacle. “The enemy … will have no peace, any movement is cut off by shells and drones.”
Russia also claimed it troops had taken control of the settlement of Zelene in Donetsk region. There was no independent confirmation. Zelene lies south of Pokrovsk where Russia has incurred mass casualties in a grinding campaign against Ukrainian defenders. In its latest Russia-Ukraine war assessment, the Institute for the Study of War said: “Russian forces recently advanced near Toretsk, Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, and Velyka Novosilka.”
Ukraine’s military said it destroyed 200 Shahed drones in an attack on warehouses in the Oryol region of Russia. “Concrete structures were hit, where thermobaric warheads, which are used to equip drones, were stored. There is information about a strong secondary detonation.”
Ukraine on Sunday claimed a further successful drone strike on the Ryazan oil refinery south-east of Moscow. It was the second attack on the same site in less that two weeks. Kyiv said the refinery is one of the four largest in Russia and is used by Moscow’s air force. “Explosions and a fire were recorded in the targeted area,” it said. The Russian regional governor in Ryazan – Pavel Malkov – said Russian air defence had “destroyed” drones over the region and that authorities were assessing the damage. Russian officials routinely falsely claim that all attacking drones were destroyed and any damage was only caused by falling debris.
An undersea fibre optic cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged on Sunday, likely as a result of external influence, Latvia said, prompting Nato to deploy patrol ships to the area and triggering a sabotage investigation by Swedish authorities. Nato was coordinating military ships and aircraft under its recently deployed mission, dubbed Baltic Sentry. The effort follows a string of incidents in which power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines have been damaged in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Continue reading...Putin ally projected to easily secure seventh term in election that US and EU have said could not be free or fair
Alexander Lukashenko was firmly on track to win a seventh five-year term as Belarusian president in an election western governments have rejected as a sham.
An exit poll broadcast on state television projected that Lukashenko would take 87.6% of the vote. The close ally of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, had earlier defended his jailing of dissidents and declared: “I don’t give a damn about the west.”
Continue reading...Johann van Graan had a glint in his eye as he delivered a post-match debrief of Finn Russell’s latest masterclass which harvested a contentious bonus-point win for Premiership leaders Bath.
As Russell prepares to play for Scotland in their Six Nations opener against Italy at Murrayfield on Saturday, the mercurial fly-half showed he is at the peak of his powers.
Continue reading...Eighty years after the Nazi death camp was freed, the testimony of survivors is as crucial as ever
Memory is fragile. A decade ago, 300 survivors gathered at Auschwitz to commemorate the Nazi death camp’s liberation. On Monday, 50 will assemble for the 80th anniversary. The median age of Holocaust survivors was estimated at 86 in a study published last year. At 97, Esther Senot is still keeping the promise she made to her dying sister Fanny, whose last wish was that she “tell what happened to us ... so that we are not forgotten by history.” Almost 1 million of the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust were killed at the complex in German-occupied Poland, along with smaller numbers of Poles, Roma and Sinti, Soviet prisoners of war, gay men, political prisoners and others. Its name has become synonymous with evil.
The Auschwitz museum’s decision to ban speeches by politicians this year may be in part pragmatic. Holocaust memory has too often been a battleground in Poland. The museum’s mission stands above politics, yet cannot be wholly insulated from global affairs. Vladimir Putin has attended in the past, but there will be no Russian presence this time. Earlier this month, Poland’s deputy foreign minister appeared to suggest that authorities would be obliged to arrest the Israeli prime minister if he travelled to the ceremony, because the international criminal court has issued a warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrest for alleged war crimes in Gaza. The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, insisted Mr Netanyahu would be able to attend safely, though Israel’s delegation is not expected to include him.
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...Autocrat makes comment about support for ‘older brother’ Putin as Belarusians vote in ‘sham’ presidential election
Belarusian autocrat Alexander Lukashenko said he had “no regrets” about allowing Russia to use his country to invade Ukraine, amid condemnation of the “sham” presidential vote almost certain to extend his 31 years of authoritarian rule.
Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said on Sunday that the vote was a “bitter day for all those who long for freedom and democracy”.
Continue reading...Impeached leader Yoon Suk Yeoul could face years in prison after six-hour imposition which set off political upheaval
South Korea’s prosecutors indicted the impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, on Sunday on charges of leading an insurrection with his short-lived imposition of martial law on 3 December, the main opposition party said.
The charges are unprecedented for a South Korean president, and if convicted, Yoon could face years in prison for his shock martial law decree, which sought to ban political and parliamentary activity and control the media.
Continue reading...Allegations of rape, beatings and collusion by EU-funded security forces prompt shift in migration arrangements
The European Commission is fundamentally overhauling how it makes payments to Tunisia after a Guardian investigation exposed myriad abuses by EU-funded security forces, including widespread sexual violence against migrants.
Officials are drawing up “concrete” conditions to ensure that future European payments to Tunis can go ahead only if human rights have not been violated.
Continue reading...The ultra-rich have long held immense influence in U.S. politics. But Trump’s inauguration shows oligarchy is stronger than ever.
The post Nearly $1 Trillion: The Staggering Combined Net Worth Cheering at Trump’s Inauguration appeared first on The Intercept.
The Trump administration is taking a brute-force approach to push trans people out of public life.
The post Trump’s Anti-Trans Executive Order Is Unscientific Nonsense appeared first on The Intercept.
An executive order from Trump helps ensure that inequities of the federal aid distribution system will keep favoring the white and wealthy.
The post Disasters Like the LA Fires Always Hit the Poor the Hardest. Trump Wants to Make It Worse. appeared first on The Intercept.
Actor Rachel Ward’s sterling efforts to farm sustainably make for an inspiring, charming documentary. It places optimism and energy front and centre
Hang on – the Rachel in Rachel’s Farm is Rachel Ward?! By heavens, it is! She was the star of the 1983 cassock-ripper The Thorn Birds, which united several countries in pursuit of the question of whether her young, wild Meggie – in the Australian outback to help her aunt run a sheep station – would persuade the local priest (played by 1983’s Richard Chamberlain) to forsake his calling for earthly pleasures. Well, Ward has now forsaken acting for literal earthly pleasures and become a regenerative farmer.
This charming and inspiring (if slightly rambling) 90-minute film takes us to the smallholding she and her husband, Bryan Brown (yes, him from The Thorn Birds, too! They met on set and have been together ever since!), have used for decades as a holiday escape from their lives in Sydney. It follows their efforts to make the farm ecologically sustainable. She is clearly the driving force, while Brown is happy to go along with everything. “I’m totally supportive,” he says with an easy grin from an easy chair on the porch. “As long as it doesn’t cost me a bundle.”
Continue reading...President Donald Trump began his first full day in office attending a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral. The Episcopal bishop of Washington, Mariann Edgar Budde, pleaded with Trump during the service, asking the newly elected president to protect immigrants and respect gay rights. ‘There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives,’ she said as Trump and his family watched on. After the inauguration, Trump launched a sweeping immigration crackdown and promised mass deportations
Continue reading...Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th US president, beginning what could be a vengeful second term. His swearing-in ceremony, which was initially scheduled to take place outside on the Capitol’s west front, was moved inside. Trump vowed to sign a series of executive orders, with many focusing on immigration. The president was sworn in among global conservative politicians and tech billionaires
Continue reading...Donald Trump repeatedly made false and misleading claims during his inaugural address. Here are the facts on some of the false claims offered during his speech
Continue reading...Donald Trump vowed to 'plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars' and 'take back' the Panama Canal as he was sworn into office for the second time. He announced a number of measures he planned to take such as ending the Green New Deal and declaring a national emergency on the US-Mexico border
Continue reading...The so-called Department of Government Efficiency flouts federal law, the lawsuits allege.
The post DOGE Got Sued Three Times While Elon Musk Watched the Trump Inauguration appeared first on The Intercept.
There is little point in going to Washington today to oppose Trump’s return — Trumpism never left. There are more urgent tasks now.
The post I Protested Trump’s First Inauguration. But I’m Not Marching Against Him Today. appeared first on The Intercept.
Under a settlement with Ohio’s attorney general, GOP operative Pat Lee can never fundraise for charity in the state again.
The post Trump Inauguration Official’s “Phony Charity” Allegedly Pocketed East Palestine Train Disaster Funds appeared first on The Intercept.
I was separated from my mom at age 10. Donald Trump's reelection has reignited my family's fears.
The post Why My Memories of Being Taken From My Mom at the Border Came Flooding Back appeared first on The Intercept.
For the first group of ESA’s Astronaut Reserve, two intensive months of Astronaut Reserve Training (ART) have come to a close. During this initial training phase, members of the ESA Astronaut Reserve Sara García Alonso from Spain, Andrea Patassa from Italy, Arnaud Prost from France, Amelie Schoenenwald from Germany, and Aleš Svoboda from Czechia were introduced to essential skills required for future space exploration and scientific research.
From waterproof versions to leather designs, we put women’s walking boots to the test to find the best for every adventure
• The best women’s waterproof jackets, reviewed and rated
A great pair of walking boots will get you outdoors in any weather. While you can get away with wearing trainers for a stroll in the park, more exciting, hilly terrain (or just walking through mud or in rain) calls for a proper pair of walking boots.
They’ll keep you warm and dry, support your ankles and give you a decent grip underfoot. It’s worth investing in a quality pair that fit well, and they’ll last years if you look after them. Here are the best hiking boots, tested and rated.
Best overall:
Lowa Renegade EVO GTX
£220 at Lowa
Best leather boots:
Vasque St Elias
From £152.17 at Amazon
Best fabric boots:
Aku Ultra Light Original GTX
From 140 at Aku
Best summer boots:
Keen Terradora II Waterproof
From £62.50 at Keen
Best for technical terrain:
Scarpa Mescalito TRK Pro GTX
£228 at Trekitt
The Trump administration is taking a brute-force approach to push trans people out of public life.
The post Trump’s Anti-Trans Executive Order Is Unscientific Nonsense appeared first on The Intercept.
I was separated from my mom at age 10. Donald Trump's reelection has reignited my family's fears.
The post Why My Memories of Being Taken From My Mom at the Border Came Flooding Back appeared first on The Intercept.
An increase in economic activity should be directed towards rebuilding public services and turbocharging a green transition, writes Colin Hines. And Mike Lake thinks all could be solved by Rachel Reeves launching a meme coin
It would appear that Rachel Reeves would rather put growth ahead of protecting our children’s future with net zero policies (Rachel Reeves’s bid to expand Heathrow could add £40 to airline ticket, 23 January). Yet in the acres of coverage about this government’s growth mantra, three crucial questions are never asked, let alone answered.
First, what exactly is the end goal of growth? The response should be an increase in economic activity directed predominantly towards rebuilding public services and turbocharging a green transition.
Continue reading...The ultra-rich have long held immense influence in U.S. politics. But Trump’s inauguration shows oligarchy is stronger than ever.
The post Nearly $1 Trillion: The Staggering Combined Net Worth Cheering at Trump’s Inauguration 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
Chancellor expected to unveil new building projects and revise planning rules to stimulate UK economy
Rachel Reeves has given her strongest hint yet that she will back a third runway at Heathrow airport, arguing that she is willing to make difficult decisions while pursuing economic growth.
The chancellor is poised to make a significant speech this week where she will outline her plans to boost the British economy by radically altering planning rules and accelerating building projects.
Continue reading...Surprise move frees up parent company of 232-year-old chain to focus on successful travel arm
The WH Smith name could disappear from the high street after its owner hoisted the “for sale” sign over its legacy retail business, in a surprise move that creates uncertainty for its 5,000 staff.
This weekend, the eponymous parent company, which is listed on the stock market, confirmed it is seeking a buyer for its 500 UK high street stores, in a shake-up that would free it up to focus on its more successful travel arm, which has branches in airports all over the world.
Continue reading...Eighty years after the Nazi death camp was freed, the testimony of survivors is as crucial as ever
Memory is fragile. A decade ago, 300 survivors gathered at Auschwitz to commemorate the Nazi death camp’s liberation. On Monday, 50 will assemble for the 80th anniversary. The median age of Holocaust survivors was estimated at 86 in a study published last year. At 97, Esther Senot is still keeping the promise she made to her dying sister Fanny, whose last wish was that she “tell what happened to us ... so that we are not forgotten by history.” Almost 1 million of the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust were killed at the complex in German-occupied Poland, along with smaller numbers of Poles, Roma and Sinti, Soviet prisoners of war, gay men, political prisoners and others. Its name has become synonymous with evil.
The Auschwitz museum’s decision to ban speeches by politicians this year may be in part pragmatic. Holocaust memory has too often been a battleground in Poland. The museum’s mission stands above politics, yet cannot be wholly insulated from global affairs. Vladimir Putin has attended in the past, but there will be no Russian presence this time. Earlier this month, Poland’s deputy foreign minister appeared to suggest that authorities would be obliged to arrest the Israeli prime minister if he travelled to the ceremony, because the international criminal court has issued a warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrest for alleged war crimes in Gaza. The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, insisted Mr Netanyahu would be able to attend safely, though Israel’s delegation is not expected to include him.
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...Villagers in Overton have set up walking and cycling routes taking in places author would have known
The coach-loads of literary-minded tourists in search of whispers of Jane Austen tend to head to the grand cities of Bath or Winchester – but a “forgotten” Hampshire village with strong connections to the writer is getting in on the act.
Villagers in Overton near Basingstoke have decided they have been too modest for too long about their very solid Austen links and are bidding to attract more visitors this year, the 250th anniversary of her birth.
Continue reading...When an extended family go on holiday together in Portishead, it’s games, laughter – and tears for one
The last time my family, by which I mean my parents, my sister and me, were living in a house together, Tony Blair was prime minister and my most pressing concern was the efficacy of dry shampoo. As time has passed we have picked up family members – two new men, four new children, some light trauma – and it was decided that we should all go away somewhere to celebrate, in part, our survival. “Two weeks?” suggested my mum. “A nice day trip?” I replied. “One week?” she attempted, an entire WhatsApp group littered with debate, “In France?” Finally we agreed on a long weekend, in Portishead.
It isn’t the town of Portishead exactly that lures us up the M4 towards Bristol, instead it is a house. Court House Farm is a Grade II-listed Tudor manor house recently renovated by its new owners, who have added a decorative garden and flower farm and, in an elegant barn, a jazzy little hot tub. It sleeps up to 14 – sometimes they host art retreats, other times they hire the space out for weddings, and the rest of the time they rent it to groups like us, a motley family already bickering over what to have for tea.
Continue reading...Is it still worth queueing for a croissant? What kind of flavour is ‘swicy’? And who on earth are the leguminati? Tony Naylor has the answers
As difficult as it may be to believe, there was a time when Britain was not obsessed with food. Rewind to 1984 and this phenomenon was so new that in The Official Foodie Handbook journalists Ann Barr and Paul Levy were poking gentle fun at (as Levy later wrote in the Guardian) a new breed of “perfectly sane people” who “had suddenly become obsessed with every aspect of food”.
The book was not alone in identifying the foodie. By 1980, the New York magazine restaurant critic, Gael Greene, was observing the behaviour of “serious foodies”, too. But Barr and Levy, then working at Harper’s & Queen magazine, certainly popularised this depiction of ardent hobbyists who bonded over artisan cheese, travelled widely to eat, dug for organic self-sufficiency or studied food’s interaction with art and literature.
Continue reading...This charismatic Vietnamese place stands out, even among all the attention-seekers on Upper Street Islington
Dzo! Viet Kitchen, 163 Upper Street, London N1 1US. Small plates £7.90-£11.90, large and sharing plates £10.90-£25.90, dessert £7.50, Saigon beer £6, wine from £35
You’ll never want for an emergency schnitzel on Islington’s Upper Street. Or a plate of Padrón peppers. Or a charred broccoli salad, heady with the scent of health consciousness. You’ll never want for anything. Some years ago, I walked the road from Angel tube at the southern end to Highbury & Islington tube at the northern, counting places to eat. It was a bit like the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, only for people who have earned their prescription for statins. Back then there were well over 100 restaurants, and many more if you counted those tucked away down sidestreets. It’s a curious place, both profoundly neighbourhood and very much not. Most businesses were sparrows and starlings; a few were garish kingfishers.
Continue reading...With four similar expansions set for take-off around the south-east of England, could the proposal finally get clearance?
Two decades and 0.2C of global warming after a Labour government last weighed in on Heathrow, the answer appears the same: keep digging. Rachel Reeves’s anticipated backing for a third runway would again prioritise growth and the global economy over climate. Interviewers are even asking Ed Miliband if he would resign in protest – a question that last troubled the headlines in 2009.
Airport expansion in the UK, especially in the south-east of England, is coming regardless, with four other London-branded airports sneaking ahead in the queue. Stansted and City have both been granted permission to grow. Fully developed plans that will radically alter the scale of Gatwick and Luton have, meanwhile, been through the inspectorate and await ministerial signoff.
Continue reading...Asylum-seekers are being detained because they come from Russia and Central Asia, immigrants and attorneys told The Intercept.
The post They Flee Russia as Dissidents Seeking Asylum. The U.S. Locks Them Up. appeared first on The Intercept.
Poland has promised Netanyahu safe passage to an Auschwitz memorial service. Former and current EU officials are speaking out.
The post Netanyahu Has an ICC Arrest Warrant. Poland’s Promise to Ignore It Would Be a “Grave Mistake.” appeared first on The Intercept.
A new Syria is emerging from the shadow of the brutal Assad regime. The Guardian’s Bethan McKernan and Ayman Abu Ramouz meet people celebrating their hard-won freedom, but also those grappling with a traumatic past. The pair travel to the notorious Sednaya prison, where they meet a former prisoner who was liberated by his family just days before
Resistance was not a choice’: how Syria’s unlikely rebel alliance took Aleppo
'The Syrian regime hit us with chemical weapons: only now can we speak out' – video
Syria’s disappeared: one woman’s search for her missing father
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors. You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors.
You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
Continue reading...
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
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