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Biden Has “Pardoned” Eight Turkeys. Will He Spare the Lives of 40 Human Beings?
Wed, 27 Nov 2024 16:27:50 +0000
With Trump returning to the White House, only mass commutations will stop another federal execution spree.
The post Biden Has “Pardoned” Eight Turkeys. Will He Spare the Lives of 40 Human Beings? appeared first on The Intercept.
Draconian new laws allow mass incarceration of women and children forced to beg because of work ban
Destitute Afghan women arrested for begging under draconian new Taliban laws have spoken of “brutal” rapes and beatings in detention.
Over the past few months, many women said they had been targeted by Taliban officials and detained under anti-begging laws passed this year. While in prison, they claim they were subjected to sexual abuse, torture and forced labour, and witnessed children being beaten and abused.
Continue reading...Hoax threats come days after similar threats to Republicans set to fill roles in incoming Trump administration
American lawmakers are on edge after a wave of hoax bomb threats targeted figures across the political spectrum and prompted the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives to demand that Congress take action to provide “maximum protection”.
Over Thanksgiving nearly the entire Connecticut congressional delegation of Democrats faced bomb threats that apparently were signed “Maga” – shorthand for Donald Trump’s “Make America great again” political movement.
Continue reading...Elon Musk seems to have abandoned his many children to hang out with Trump’s family and JD Vance is … just bizarre
Melania Trump has made it clear that her second stint at being first lady will be conducted entirely on her own terms. It’s been reported that she’s unlikely to move back to the White House and will spend a lot of the next four years flitting between New York and Florida. Maybe she’ll write another coffee table book. Maybe she’ll develop another caviar-infused skincare line. Who knows. But whatever she does, it’ll be in the service of her own interest, rather than the country’s.
Continue reading...Warnings that genuine products are bulked out with cheaper sugar syrup prompt international congress to withdraw prizes
The World Beekeeping Awards will not award a prize for honey next year after warnings of widespread fraud in the global supply chain.
Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations, says it will showcase honey from around the world at its congress in Denmark, but for the first time make no awards for the product.
Continue reading...Climate Justice Alliance was the only program grantee to speak out on Palestine — and the only one whose funding is delayed.
The post Biden Makes His Own Attack on Nonprofit Over Palestine appeared first on The Intercept.
After 250 years of armed attacks, forced relocations, ethnic cleansing, and genocide of Native Americans, the U.S. military wants to celebrate.
The post Happy Native American Heritage Month From the Army That Brought You the Trail of Tears appeared first on The Intercept.
Local police across New York state regularly work with ICE. Before Trump can start rounding up immigrants, advocates are pushing for change.
The post The Fight to Stop New York Cops From Conspiring With ICE appeared first on The Intercept.
The OSHA heat regulation was one of the few to have broad public support, but Democrats can’t ever seem to get their act together.
The post Biden Made “Record Time” on Worker Protections for Heat. Trump Could Quickly Stamp Them Out. appeared first on The Intercept.
The PRESS Act, a federal reporter shield bill, already passed the House unanimously. Trump wants it dead.
The post Congress Could Protect Journalists From Surveillance. Trump Is Lobbying to Stop Them. appeared first on The Intercept.
The Intercept’s lawsuit argues that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act prevents OpenAI from stripping a story’s title or byline.
The post The Intercept’s Lawsuit Against OpenAI Advances on Claim It Removed Reporters’ Bylines appeared first on The Intercept.
The U.S. has a long tradition of shielding Israel (and itself) from war crime allegations — and threatening The Hague.
The post War Crimes Have Never Stopped the U.S. Before appeared first on The Intercept.
Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., discusses Biden’s lame-duck session and erecting barriers to Trump’s agenda on The Intercept Briefing podcast.
The post Rep. Summer Lee on the Fight of Our Lives appeared first on The Intercept.
Democratic support for the bill dwindled as critics warned it would let Donald Trump crack down on political foes.
The post The House Just Blessed Trump’s Authoritarian Playbook by Passing Nonprofit-Killer Bill appeared first on The Intercept.
Sanders’s resolutions to block arms sales to Israel gained momentum, but ran headlong into White House opposition.
The post Bernie Sanders Lost Vote to Block Arms for Israel, Says U.S. Is “Funding the Starvation of Children in Gaza” appeared first on The Intercept.
A joint resolution from Sen. Bernie Sanders would block arms sales to Israel. The challenge is convincing Democrats to act.
The post Senators Have a Chance to Halt Weapons Sales to Israel. Will They Take It? appeared first on The Intercept.
ESA and Thales Alenia Space have signed a contract amendment today at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan to extend the Lunar View refuelling module for the lunar Gateway.
Climate Justice Alliance was the only program grantee to speak out on Palestine — and the only one whose funding is delayed.
The post Biden Makes His Own Attack on Nonprofit Over Palestine appeared first on The Intercept.
Findings highlight how built environment in low-income neighborhoods presents multiple PFAS exposure routes
New research aimed at identifying which US neighborhoods face increased exposure to toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” found those living near “superfund” sites and other major industrial polluters, or in areas with limited access to fresh food, generally have higher levels of the dangerous compounds in their blood.
The study looked at hundreds of people living in southern California and found those who do not live within a half mile of a grocery store have 14% higher levels of PFOA and PFOS – two common PFAS compounds – in their blood than those who do.
Continue reading...From ‘selfie’ to ‘slop’, internet culture is changing our language
It started with “chav” and has included “carbon footprint”, “omnishambles” and “selfie”. The Oxford word of the year campaign celebrates 20 years of selecting the word – or sometimes two words – that in some way sums up the moment. This year’s winner, decided by public vote, will be announced on Monday.
All six contenders on the shortlist have one thing in common – the internet. The words either refer to anxieties about online phenomena or behaviour (“slop”, meaning AI-generated content, and “brain rot” caused by consuming too much “slop” and other material); or they have been repurposed or popularised by social media (old-fashioned words such as “demure” and “lore”, and “romantasy” – a blend of romance and fantasy beloved by BookTokkers). Even “dynamic pricing” relates to Ticketmaster’s skyrocketing costs of Oasis reunion tickets for fans in virtual queues.
Continue reading...A ‘covalent organic framework’ can be used to capture carbon to store it or convert it for industrial use
An innocuous yellow powder, created in a lab, could be a new way to combat the climate crisis by absorbing carbon from the air.
Just half a pound of the stuff may remove as much carbon dioxide as a tree can, according to early tests. Once the carbon is absorbed by the powder, it can be released into safe storage or be used in industrial processes, like carbonizing drinks.
This article was amended on 30 November 2024 to clarify Farzan Kazemifar’s job title.
Continue reading...Satellite data analysis suggests algal blooms could be behind mass die-off in Botswana that sparked flurry of theories in 2020
More than 350 elephants that died in mysterious circumstances probably drank toxic water, according to a new paper that warns of an “alarming trend” in climate-induced poisoning.
The deaths in Botswana’s Okavango delta were described by scientists as a “conservation disaster”. Elephants of all ages were seen walking in circles before collapsing and dying. Carcasses were first spotted in north-eastern Botswana in May and June 2020, with many theories circulating about the cause of death, including cyanide poisoning or an unknown disease.
Continue reading...Oh, Christmas trees, how lovely are your branches and are you going to cost the Earth? Our writer demystifies buying the perfect tree, whether real, potted, rental or artificial
• The best Christmas baubles and decorations: 28 trinkets to deck the halls
Few things signal the beginning of Christmas like a beautifully dressed tree. But as more of us try to make sustainable choices, the idea of discarding a real tree come January can feel wasteful. The alternative – artificial trees – presents both a solution and a problem.
Each type of tree – real, potted, rented or fake – has its benefits and drawbacks, while the right fit for each household will come down to various factors, including space, cost, care and lifestyle. As the Carbon Trust puts it: “The most sustainable choice will depend on the tree, your plans for reuse, then options for disposal.”
Continue reading...The OSHA heat regulation was one of the few to have broad public support, but Democrats can’t ever seem to get their act together.
The post Biden Made “Record Time” on Worker Protections for Heat. Trump Could Quickly Stamp Them Out. appeared first on The Intercept.
SEMrush and Ahrefs are among
the most popular tools in the SEO industry. Both companies have been in
business for years and have thousands of customers per month.
If you're a professional SEO or trying to do digital
marketing on your own, at some point you'll likely consider using a tool to
help with your efforts. Ahrefs and SEMrush are two names that will likely
appear on your shortlist.
In this guide, I'm going to help you learn more about these SEO tools and how to choose the one that's best for your purposes.
What is SEMrush?
SEMrush is a popular SEO tool with a wide range of
features—it's the leading competitor research service for online marketers.
SEMrush's SEO Keyword Magic tool offers over 20 billion Google-approved
keywords, which are constantly updated and it's the largest keyword database.
The program was developed in 2007 as SeoQuake is a
small Firefox extension
Features
Ahrefs is a leading SEO platform that offers a set of
tools to grow your search traffic, research your competitors, and monitor your
niche. The company was founded in 2010, and it has become a popular choice
among SEO tools. Ahrefs has a keyword index of over 10.3 billion keywords and
offers accurate and extensive backlink data updated every 15-30 minutes and it
is the world's most extensive backlink index database.
Features
Direct Comparisons: Ahrefs vs SEMrush
Now that you know a little more about each tool, let's
take a look at how they compare. I'll analyze each tool to see how they differ
in interfaces, keyword research resources, rank tracking, and competitor
analysis.
User Interface
Ahrefs and SEMrush both offer comprehensive information
and quick metrics regarding your website's SEO performance. However, Ahrefs
takes a bit more of a hands-on approach to getting your account fully set up,
whereas SEMrush's simpler dashboard can give you access to the data you need
quickly.
In this section, we provide a brief overview of the elements
found on each dashboard and highlight the ease with which you can complete
tasks.
AHREFS
The Ahrefs dashboard is less cluttered than that of
SEMrush, and its primary menu is at the very top of the page, with a search bar
designed only for entering URLs.
Additional features of the Ahrefs platform include:
SEMRUSH
When you log into the SEMrush Tool, you will find four
main modules. These include information about your domains, organic keyword
analysis, ad keyword, and site traffic.
You'll also find some other options like
Both Ahrefs and SEMrush have user-friendly dashboards,
but Ahrefs is less cluttered and easier to navigate. On the other hand, SEMrush
offers dozens of extra tools, including access to customer support resources.
When deciding on which dashboard to use, consider what
you value in the user interface, and test out both.
If you're looking to track your website's search engine
ranking, rank tracking features can help. You can also use them to monitor your
competitors.
Let's take a look at Ahrefs vs. SEMrush to see which
tool does a better job.
The Ahrefs Rank Tracker is simpler to use. Just type in
the domain name and keywords you want to analyze, and it spits out a report
showing you the search engine results page (SERP) ranking for each keyword you
enter.
Rank Tracker looks at the ranking performance of
keywords and compares them with the top rankings for those keywords. Ahrefs
also offers:
You'll see metrics that help you understand your
visibility, traffic, average position, and keyword difficulty.
It gives you an idea of whether a keyword would be
profitable to target or not.
SEMRush offers a tool called Position Tracking. This
tool is a project tool—you must set it up as a new project. Below are a few of
the most popular features of the SEMrush Position Tracking tool:
All subscribers are given regular data updates and
mobile search rankings upon subscribing
The platform provides opportunities to track several
SERP features, including Local tracking.
Intuitive reports allow you to track statistics for the
pages on your website, as well as the keywords used in those pages.
Identify pages that may be competing with each other
using the Cannibalization report.
Ahrefs is a more user-friendly option. It takes seconds
to enter a domain name and keywords. From there, you can quickly decide whether
to proceed with that keyword or figure out how to rank better for other
keywords.
SEMrush allows you to check your mobile rankings and
ranking updates daily, which is something Ahrefs does not offer. SEMrush also
offers social media rankings, a tool you won't find within the Ahrefs platform.
Both are good which one do you like let me know in the comment.
Keyword research is closely related to rank tracking,
but it's used for deciding which keywords you plan on using for future content
rather than those you use now.
When it comes to SEO, keyword research is the most
important thing to consider when comparing the two platforms.
The Ahrefs Keyword Explorer provides you with thousands
of keyword ideas and filters search results based on the chosen search engine.
Ahrefs supports several features, including:
SEMrush's Keyword Magic Tool has over 20 billion
keywords for Google. You can type in any keyword you want, and a list of
suggested keywords will appear.
The Keyword Magic Tool also lets you to:
Both of these tools offer keyword research features and
allow users to break down complicated tasks into something that can be
understood by beginners and advanced users alike.
If you're interested in keyword suggestions, SEMrush
appears to have more keyword suggestions than Ahrefs does. It also continues to
add new features, like the Keyword Gap tool and SERP Questions recommendations.
Both platforms offer competitor analysis tools,
eliminating the need to come up with keywords off the top of your head. Each
tool is useful for finding keywords that will be useful for your competition so
you know they will be valuable to you.
Ahrefs' domain comparison tool lets you compare up to five websites (your website and four competitors) side-by-side.it also shows you how your site is ranked against others with metrics such as backlinks, domain ratings, and more.
Use the Competing Domains section to see a list of your
most direct competitors, and explore how many keywords matches your competitors
have.
To find more information about your competitor, you can
look at the Site Explorer and Content Explorer tools and type in their URL
instead of yours.
SEMrush provides a variety of insights into your
competitors' marketing tactics. The platform enables you to research your
competitors effectively. It also offers several resources for competitor
analysis including:
Traffic Analytics helps you identify where your
audience comes from, how they engage with your site, what devices visitors use
to view your site, and how your audiences overlap with other websites.
SEMrush's Organic Research examines your website's
major competitors and shows their organic search rankings, keywords they are
ranking for, and even if they are ranking for any (SERP) features and more.
The Market Explorer search field allows you to type in
a domain and lists websites or articles similar to what you entered. Market
Explorer also allows users to perform in-depth data analytics on These
companies and markets.
SEMrush wins here because it has more tools dedicated to
competitor analysis than Ahrefs. However, Ahrefs offers a lot of functionality
in this area, too. It takes a combination of both tools to gain an advantage
over your competition.
When it comes to keyword data research, you will become
confused about which one to choose.
Consider choosing Ahrefs if you
Consider SEMrush if you:
Both tools are great. Choose the one which meets your
requirements and if you have any experience using either Ahrefs or SEMrush let
me know in the comment section which works well for you.
Dong Yuyu was detained in 2022 after meeting Japanese diplomats named agents of ‘espionage organisation’
A veteran Chinese state media journalist has been sentenced by a Beijing court to seven years in prison on espionage charges, his family has said.
Dong Yuyu, a senior columnist at the Communist party newspaper Guangming Daily, was detained in February 2022 along with a Japanese diplomat at a Beijing restaurant.
Continue reading...Associates of former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina have spent millions buying up top-flight property assets in the UK
As Sheikh Hasina watched Dhaka fade from view, aboard a military helicopter, crowds were storming her palatial residence.
Far below, about 1,000 Bangladeshis lay dead and countless more injured, the toll of a brutal crackdown by her security forces on student-led protests, sometimes called the Monsoon Revolution. Hasina was soon in India, where she has remained in exile since August.
Continue reading...Trump, Farage and Hancock have done it. Now, the ex-Conservative minister joins the list seeking to reinvent himself via reality TV – is it really ok, though?
We have to start by getting all of the Jacob Rees-Mogg caveats out of the way: Jacob Rees-Mogg is staunchly anti-abortion, even in cases of incest and rape; Jacob Rees-Mogg is still, amazingly, pro-Brexit; Jacob Rees-Mogg admires the political machinations of Nigel Farage and Donald Trump; Jacob Rees-Mogg once slouched down in Parliament in a way that made Caroline Lucas get mad at him. Then we have to cover the “MPs on television” caveats: Matt Hancock shouldn’t have been allowed to reform his image on I’m a Celebrity, Farage shouldn’t have been either, and while I’m at it I don’t like Ed Balls on Good Morning Britain. Now all the caveats are out of the way, a fun one just for me: Jacob Rees-Mogg looks like an umbrella Dracula threw away so he wouldn’t have to take too much baggage on to the ship Demeter. There. Now we can get going.
All that is to say, Jacob Rees-Mogg this week launches a reality show on Discovery+ (from Monday). It’s one of those statements that makes you feel you perhaps made the wrong sandwich choice once in 2014, leapt on to an alternative timeline as a direct result, and now we’re here. But no: ham and cheese was correct, this is really happening. His wife Helena is in it, his various children are in it, his castle is in it, his SW1 townhouse is in it, his nanny is in it, a man called Sean who buffs his vintage Bentley is in it, his mother – whom he calls “Lady Rees-Mogg”! – is in it, the buildup to the 2024 general election is in it. There’s a lot of idle playing with cricket balls, dressing too formally for dinner at home, actually saying “yah”, and a big coordinated two-car drive to Boris Johnson’s birthday party. It has to-camera confessionals and scenes of unbelievably familiar domesticity and a few snatched glances of moments you can very much tell they would have preferred had not been captured in full HD by a crew. It is, by any measure you’ve got, fairly impeccable reality TV show-making.
Continue reading...Special envoy needed to help free citizens subjected to ‘hostage diplomacy’ by authoritarian regimes, senate committee finds
Australia needs a specialist envoy dedicated to freeing its citizens arbitrarily detained by rogue nations, a senate committee inquiry has recommended.
The practice of “hostage diplomacy” is an increasing threat, the senate committee found, and Australians should be specifically warned that authoritarian regimes in some countries – naming China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Mali and Myanmar – arbitrarily detain Australian citizens.
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Malign influence exerted by negotiators for fossil-fuel lobby dramatised in production transferring to London
The anger, frustration and then triumph of reaching a deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions was experienced for the first time 27 years ago in Kyoto in Japan.
Early in the morning on 11 December 1997, John Prescott, the then UK environment secretary who died last week, burst into the corridor where half the waiting journalists had fallen asleep, to announce that the rich developed countries had agreed to cut emissions for the first time. He was both elated and exhausted.
Continue reading...Sheinbaum says she had cooperative talks with president-elect who threatened 25% tariff against Mexico on Tuesday
Claudia Sheinbaum has said her “very kind” phone conversation with Donald Trump, in which they discussed immigration and fentanyl, means “there will not be a potential tariff war” between the US and Mexico.
The president of Mexico spoke to reporters on Thursday following Trump’s threat earlier in the week to apply a 25% tariff against Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff against China, when he takes office in January if the countries did not stop all illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling into the US.
Continue reading...Payal Kapadia’s poetic, everyday tale of three women who work at the same hospital is all the more remarkable for being her fiction feature debut
Mumbai is more than a city. It’s an ever-expanding universe. Night shots of the thronged streets in this exquisite, Cannes prize-winning drama by Mumbai-born documentary director turned fiction film-maker Payal Kapadia show the skyline as a shimmering constellation of lights. And behind each flickering window, inside every snaking commuter train, there is a whole world with its own myriad of stories. It’s an idea that Kapadia acknowledges with elegant simplicity at the film’s opening, using documentary techniques, a montage of street scenes and the voices of migrants from around the country drawn to the city for work.
Having captured the teeming collision of lives, she gently guides us to follow three of them. Nurse Prabha (Kani Kusruti) is a veteran at the busy urban hospital where all three work; her younger colleague Anu (Divya Prabha), newly arrived from the south of India, is caught up in the first thrill of romance with her Muslim boyfriend. And Pavarty (Chhaya Kadam), a cook in the hospital kitchen, is facing eviction from a home that is due to be demolished to sate the voracious appetite of gentrification. The women speak different languages – Prabha and Anu converse in Malayalam; Hindi and Marathi are also used. These are ordinary lives, with small sadnesses, twinging regrets and sparks of joy. But through Kapadia’s empathetic lens we realise that these women, like the city that never entirely feels like home for any of them, contain multitudes.
In UK and Irish cinemas
Continue reading...Two satellites in Proba-3 mission expected to be launched on Wednesday in India and will work in tandem to study sun’s corona
Final preparations have begun for a landmark space mission that will use satellites flying in close formation to create artificial solar eclipses high above the Earth.
The Proba-3 mission is the European Space Agency’s first attempt at precise formation flying in orbit and calls for two spacecraft to loop around the planet in an arrangement that never deviates by more than a millimetre, about the thickness of a human fingernail.
Continue reading...After 250 years of armed attacks, forced relocations, ethnic cleansing, and genocide of Native Americans, the U.S. military wants to celebrate.
The post Happy Native American Heritage Month From the Army That Brought You the Trail of Tears appeared first on The Intercept.
‘Important shift’ made in global attempts to address plastic pollution though final treaty text yet to be agreed
Pressure from an increasingly large bloc of countries has offered hope that a breakthrough at critical international plastic treaty talks could be in sight at last, after two years of deadlock. But some warned that fragile progress could disappear again in the last stages of negotiations over the weekend.
For some time, the talks have been split over demands for the treaty to include plans to reduce the amount of plastic that is being produced – a production cap. A draft text for a final deal published on Friday included language for a global target to reduce the amount of plastic made. But it also included another option for no text – meaning no action would be taken to reduce plastic production worldwide. The final text, which may use either of those options, will hopefully be decided this weekend.
Continue reading...Rescuers in Sumatra search for people trapped in cars after landslide triggered by torrential rainfall
Last week, torrential rainfall across Indonesia’s largest island, Sumatra, triggered flash floods and landslides, causing widespread destruction. Twenty people died earlier this week in four areas in North Sumatra province amid flash floods and landslides. On Thursday morning, another devastating landslide claimed seven more lives. This landslide struck the main access route between Medan, the provincial capital, and surrounding regions, burying vehicles – including a tourist bus – in mud, rocks and trees. More than 10 people were injured and rushed to the nearest hospital in Medan. Rescue efforts are continuing, with several vehicles still trapped in the debris. North Sumatra’s traffic director estimated it may take up to two days to evacuate those affected.
Flash floods and landslides are a frequent occurrence in Indonesia owing to seasonal rainfall from October to March, caused by the Asia-Australia monsoon circulation system. This phenomenon causes wind to blow from Asia to Australia, bringing increased water vapour and consequential rainfall to Indonesia. Teleconnections such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation can also influence rainfall patterns, with the likely upcoming La Niña phase expected to bring further extreme weather by the end of the year, intensifying the risk of flooding and landslides as sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean drop below average and easterly trade winds strengthen, pushing additional moisture into the region.
Continue reading...With Trump returning to the White House, only mass commutations will stop another federal execution spree.
The post Biden Has “Pardoned” Eight Turkeys. Will He Spare the Lives of 40 Human Beings? appeared first on The Intercept.
The Israeli company NSO Group sells Pegasus spyware to countries around the world (including countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, India, Mexico, Morocco and Rwanda). We assumed that those countries use the spyware themselves. Now we’ve learned that that’s not true: that NSO Group employees operate the spyware on behalf of their customers.
Legal documents released in ongoing US litigation between NSO Group and WhatsApp have revealed for the first time that the Israeli cyberweapons maker and not its government customers is the party that “installs and extracts” information from mobile phones targeted by the company’s hacking software...
The marketing of a new military tech tool powered by Meta’s artificial intelligence is “irresponsible” and “clumsy,” experts said.
The post Meta-Powered Military Chatbot Advertised Giving “Worthless” Advice on Airstrikes appeared first on The Intercept.
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Reported ban comes after two Australian teenagers, two Danish citizens, an American and a Briton became ill, and later died, after drinking in Vang Vieng
Laos has banned the sale and consumption of a local brand of whisky and vodka after the death of six tourists from a suspected mass methanol poisoning this month, Australian authorities have said.
According to Smartraveller, the Australian government’s travel advice website, the drinks Tiger vodka and Tiger whisky have been prohibited by the Laos government due to “concerns about these products being a health risk”.
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Continue reading...Lots of details that are beyond me.
Min Aung Hlaing accused of crimes against humanity over deportation and persecution of Rohingya minority
The chief prosecutor of the international criminal court (ICC) is seeking an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, for crimes against humanity over the deadly crackdowns against the country’s Rohingya minority that drove hundreds of thousands to flee to Bangladesh.
Karim Khan said that “after an extensive, independent and impartial investigation” his office had concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe that the Myanmar junta chief “bears criminal responsibility for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya committed in Myanmar and in part in Bangladesh”.
Continue reading...Sanders’s resolutions to block arms sales to Israel gained momentum, but ran headlong into White House opposition.
The post Bernie Sanders Lost Vote to Block Arms for Israel, Says U.S. Is “Funding the Starvation of Children in Gaza” appeared first on The Intercept.
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On The Intercept Briefing, we discuss college crackdowns on Palestine solidarity protests and the chilling effect on free speech.
The post The “Palestine Exception” appeared first on The Intercept.
An alternative festive spread: a starter to make ahead in minutes, a showstopping vegetarian main, Scandi-inspired spuds and salty-sweet ice-cream doused in boozy caramel
Christmas is here! Well, nearly, and it’s never too early to commit to memory some keys to festive feasting. Embrace the shortcut, and buy some shop-bought ingredients that you’d otherwise make yourself. Make sure you have lined up a good few dishes that can be made in advance. Indulge the “Ta-da!” moment when it comes to presentation, so let the main course sit centre and proud. And never, ever underestimate the crowdpleasing presence of a dish full of potatoes.
Continue reading...The ‘pirate of pastry’ says he is unfazed about his newfound sex-symbol status and still has a lot to learn
It’s only fitting that the pirate of pastry should plunder fans from across the ocean. Dylan Bachelet, the breakout star of this year’s Great British Bake Off, has found fame on both sides of the Atlantic, and went viral when the New York Times dubbed him “the Captain Jack Sparrow of baking”.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” the 20-year-old from Buckinghamshire said. “The weirdest part was that it wasn’t in the food section, it was in the fashion pages … A lot of coverage has been about my appearance but people seem to like it, so that’s all good.”
Continue reading...As a Waitrose report reveals that high-end, beautifully packaged groceries are the must-have gift, a food-lover heartily applauds the new trend
Food trends can be as fickle as fashion ones. There was a point earlier this year when, thanks to a TikTok video, there was such a craze for cucumber salad that farmers in Iceland struggled to keep up with the soaring demand.
These fads burn bright and fast and are forgotten about almost as quickly as they begin. But there are other changes in consumer behaviour that are more widespread and enduring, particularly when it comes to our eating habits.
Continue reading...The Culprits actor on his favourite film for Christmas, the humour and rebellion in the work of artist Mike Kelley, and an inspiring book about failure
Born in London in 1987, the actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett studied at the Brit school and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. After early stage roles including The History Boys at the National Theatre, he was cast in E4’s Misfits and Channel 4’s Utopia. He starred in the 2017 National Theatre production of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, as well as its Broadway transfer. He has appeared in films Dom Hemingway, Candyman, and Femme, for which he and George MacKay won a 2023 Bifa award for best joint lead performance. His TV roles include Doctor Who and The Trial of Christine Keeler. He stars in the second season of the heist thriller Culprits, on ITVX from 19 December.
Continue reading...Findings highlight how built environment in low-income neighborhoods presents multiple PFAS exposure routes
New research aimed at identifying which US neighborhoods face increased exposure to toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” found those living near “superfund” sites and other major industrial polluters, or in areas with limited access to fresh food, generally have higher levels of the dangerous compounds in their blood.
The study looked at hundreds of people living in southern California and found those who do not live within a half mile of a grocery store have 14% higher levels of PFOA and PFOS – two common PFAS compounds – in their blood than those who do.
Continue reading...Classic condiments combine for a delicious vegan main that will more than hold its own on the Christmas table
This year’s suggestion for your vegan Christmas main course comes straight from the excellent Hart’s Bakery in Bristol, and is fashioned directly after their own, thanks to help from Laura Hart. This heavenly “sausage” roll is made with mushrooms, rye and three of the best condiments on the planet: tomato ketchup, Marmite and Henderson’s relish. It is also sympathetic to the home cook, in that the filling can be made in advance and, like most good Christmas guests, will get on very well with others (such as roast vegetables, for example).
Continue reading...Warnings that genuine products are bulked out with cheaper sugar syrup prompt international congress to withdraw prizes
The World Beekeeping Awards will not award a prize for honey next year after warnings of widespread fraud in the global supply chain.
Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations, says it will showcase honey from around the world at its congress in Denmark, but for the first time make no awards for the product.
Continue reading...From actor Stephen Graham on his childhood heroes to the best Christmas gifts for foodies: the best original photographs from the Observer commissioned in November 2024
Continue reading...The project, which took 22 years to complete, unearthed more than 300,000 treasures now on display across its subway stations
It caused untold commotion, decades of disruption and – among historians and archaeologists – controversy and despair. But at midday on Saturday, the antiquities-rich subterranean world of Thessaloniki will open to a world of driverless trains and hi-tech automation with the inauguration of its long-awaited subway.
The excitement on the streets of the northern Greek port city is almost palpable. “Archaeologically, it has been an extremely complex and difficult endeavour,” said the culture minister, Lina Mendoni, of the more than 300,000 finds made since construction began 22 years ago. “To get here required a battle on many fronts.”
Continue reading...Presenter denies allegations of harassment, including claim he made ‘lesbian jokes constantly’ and discussed spanking
Gregg Wallace has been accused of “highly inappropriate” behaviour including making “lesbian jokes constantly”, regularly discussing spanking and threesomes, and making sexually explicit comments while filming programmes, multiple sources have said.
Further details of the allegations facing the MasterChef host have emerged since the announcement on Thursday that he was stepping away from his role after the BBC received complaints about alleged misconduct.
A man who worked on Big Weekends and other travel shows between 2019 and 2022 said Wallace talked about threesomes with sex workers and said he “loves spanking” multiple times a day.
A woman who worked on MasterChef in 2019 said Wallace talked about his sex life and had asked if her boyfriend had a nice bottom.
A woman on the BBC Good Food Show in 2010 said Wallace stared at her chest.
A woman on Eat Well for Less? in 2019 said Wallace told her he wasn’t wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans.
A man who worked on MasterChef in 2005-06 said Wallace regularly made sexually explicit comments on set. He said Wallace once said a dish tasted like his aunt’s vagina, and on another occasion had asked a female runner if she put her finger up her boyfriend’s bottom.
Continue reading...From alcohol-free prosecco to dealcoholised wine, here are our top picks for no-booze bubbles with plenty of sparkle
Party season is around the corner, but that doesn’t have to mean overdoing the booze until we try to undo the excesses in Dry January.
If you’re avoiding alcohol, there are plenty of good alternatives to sparkling wine that still feel celebratory and make that great sound when you pop the cork. And, for once, we can toast to “our good health” and actually mean it.
Continue reading...No amount of joining the Christmas supermarket scrum will recreate the sight of my mam’s hands on the trolley
My partner, Charles, being of French stock, has campaigned for a swankier Sud de la France yuletide for some years. Or, to be precise, ever since he ate his first spoon of Paxo sage and onion stuffing and gasped: “Qu’est-ce que c’est?!” Truth be told, it was a tough question to answer. Flavoured gravel that reminds me of Santa bringing a Sindy caravan set? The taste of Silent Night played on a recorder?
Certainly, it was the taste of Christmas when my parents were both still alive, but since they left, I’ve felt increasingly like Miss Havisham each Christmas season. You will recall her in Great Expectations, in her tattered gown, by a dusty wedding buffet, suspended in time and waiting for a party that will never happen. That’s me, but in novelty antlers with a Terry’s Chocolate Orange, and trying to keep the dream alive. Look, I’ve bought Bailey’s and a marzipan stollen, and I’m putting a layer of swiss roll in the sherry trifle. If I go through the motions of putting rum butter in the fridge and Quality Street on the sideboard, then it’s business as usual, isn’t it?
Continue reading...Conceptual work created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan was sold at auction in New York last week
The cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun has fulfilled a promise he made after spending $6.2m (£4.88m) on an artwork featuring a banana duct-taped to a wall – by eating the fruit.
At one of Hong Kong’s priciest hotels, Sun, 34, chomped down on the banana in front of dozens of journalists and influencers after giving a speech hailing the work as “iconic” and drew parallels between conceptual art and cryptocurrency.
Continue reading...Draconian new laws allow mass incarceration of women and children forced to beg because of work ban
Destitute Afghan women arrested for begging under draconian new Taliban laws have spoken of “brutal” rapes and beatings in detention.
Over the past few months, many women said they had been targeted by Taliban officials and detained under anti-begging laws passed this year. While in prison, they claim they were subjected to sexual abuse, torture and forced labour, and witnessed children being beaten and abused.
Continue reading...Apps and booklets are offering advice on how to build a bunker, stockpile food and live without electricity in case the worst happens
Germany is developing an app to help people locate the nearest bunker in the event of attack. Sweden is distributing a 32-page pamphlet titled If Crisis or War Comes. Half a million Finns have already downloaded an emergency preparedness guide.
If the prospect of a broader conflict in Europe seems remote for many, some countries at least are taking it seriously – and, in the term used by Germany’s defence minister, Boris Pistorius, taking steps to get populations kriegstüchtig: war-capable.
Continue reading...Biden said that the truce could be a prelude to a ceasefire in Gaza. Netanyahu’s actions seem to indicate otherwise.
The post Israel Agrees to Stop Bombing Lebanon — So It Can Keep Bombing Gaza 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.
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Continue reading...Democratic support for the bill dwindled as critics warned it would let Donald Trump crack down on political foes.
The post The House Just Blessed Trump’s Authoritarian Playbook by Passing Nonprofit-Killer Bill appeared first on The Intercept.
Sanders’s resolutions to block arms sales to Israel gained momentum, but ran headlong into White House opposition.
The post Bernie Sanders Lost Vote to Block Arms for Israel, Says U.S. Is “Funding the Starvation of Children in Gaza” appeared first on The Intercept.
From spices to seeds, coffee to candles, we opened the doors of some of this year’s more inventive countdown-to-Christmas offerings – with varying results
Advent calendars filled with everything from beauty products to chocolate, Lego to tea, are as much a staple in the run-up to Christmas as drinking too much and listening to Last Christmas for the 1,237th time.
So, we’ve sniffed, tasted and drunk our way through 12 of them, rating them by their contents, value for money, sustainability and festive factor. And for those who want to swerve products altogether, we’ve rounded up the most beautiful, feelgood paper Advent calendars we could find.
Continue reading...Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, direct to your inbox every Thursday
Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday
Explore all our newsletters: whether you love film, football, fashion or food, we’ve got something for you
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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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Local police across New York state regularly work with ICE. Before Trump can start rounding up immigrants, advocates are pushing for change.
The post The Fight to Stop New York Cops From Conspiring With ICE appeared first on The Intercept.
Hoax threats come days after similar threats to Republicans set to fill roles in incoming Trump administration
American lawmakers are on edge after a wave of hoax bomb threats targeted figures across the political spectrum and prompted the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives to demand that Congress take action to provide “maximum protection”.
Over Thanksgiving nearly the entire Connecticut congressional delegation of Democrats faced bomb threats that apparently were signed “Maga” – shorthand for Donald Trump’s “Make America great again” political movement.
Continue reading...Last week on this podcast, James Carville blamed identity politics and ‘woke’ theory for the Democrats losing the election. Waleed Shahid, a former senior adviser to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Uncommitted campaign, believes this argument is lazy.
This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Waleed about why the left is not to blame for Kamala Harris losing the election, and why the truth of who is might be uncomfortable for the Democratic party
Archive: CNN, ABC News, BBC News, CBS News, NBC News, The Independent
Continue reading...After 250 years of armed attacks, forced relocations, ethnic cleansing, and genocide of Native Americans, the U.S. military wants to celebrate.
The post Happy Native American Heritage Month From the Army That Brought You the Trail of Tears appeared first on The Intercept.
The OSHA heat regulation was one of the few to have broad public support, but Democrats can’t ever seem to get their act together.
The post Biden Made “Record Time” on Worker Protections for Heat. Trump Could Quickly Stamp Them Out. appeared first on The Intercept.
Our research shows that political breakdown, from the Roman Empire to the Russian revolution, follows a clear pattern: workers’ wages stagnate, while elites multiply
In the days since the sweeping Republican victory in the US election, which gave the party control of the presidency, the Senate and the House, commentators have analysed and dissected the relative merits of the main protagonists – Kamala Harris and Donald Trump – in minute detail. Much has been said about their personalities and the words they have spoken; little about the impersonal social forces that push complex human societies to the brink of collapse – and sometimes beyond. That’s a mistake: in order to understand the roots of our current crisis, and possible ways out of it, it’s precisely these tectonic forces we need to focus on.
The research team I lead studies cycles of political integration and disintegration over the past 5,000 years. We have found that societies, organised as states, can experience significant periods of peace and stability lasting, roughly, a century or so. Inevitably, though, they then enter periods of social unrest and political breakdown. Think of the end of the Roman empire, the English civil war or the Russian Revolution. To date, we have amassed data on hundreds of historical states as they slid into crisis, and then emerged from it.
Continue reading...Climate Justice Alliance was the only program grantee to speak out on Palestine — and the only one whose funding is delayed.
The post Biden Makes His Own Attack on Nonprofit Over Palestine appeared first on The Intercept.
Elon Musk seems to have abandoned his many children to hang out with Trump’s family and JD Vance is … just bizarre
Melania Trump has made it clear that her second stint at being first lady will be conducted entirely on her own terms. It’s been reported that she’s unlikely to move back to the White House and will spend a lot of the next four years flitting between New York and Florida. Maybe she’ll write another coffee table book. Maybe she’ll develop another caviar-infused skincare line. Who knows. But whatever she does, it’ll be in the service of her own interest, rather than the country’s.
Continue reading...With Trump returning to the White House, only mass commutations will stop another federal execution spree.
The post Biden Has “Pardoned” Eight Turkeys. Will He Spare the Lives of 40 Human Beings? appeared first on The Intercept.
Email from mother, published in the New York Times, said he mistreated women and displayed a lack of character
The family dynamics of Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, have burst out into the open after an email from his mother criticizing her son over his treatment of women and calling him an “abuser of women” was leaked to a newspaper.
A 2018 email from Penelope Hegseth accused her son of routinely mistreating women and displaying a lack of character.
Continue reading...Riding on a TikTok tide of Putin propaganda, the Romanian nationalist typifies a swing on the continent that is raising the spectre of the 1930s
Politics in Romania can be a bloody business, especially on the right. The excesses of the Iron Guard, an insurrectionary, violently antisemitic, ultranationalist 1930s political-religious militia, stood out even at a time when fascist parties were wreaking havoc in Germany, Italy and Spain. Given what is happening in Europe today, the events of that period are instructive.
Iron Guard founder Corneliu Codreanu, a ruthless assassin who was himself assassinated in 1938, and his ally turned enemy, the pro-Nazi general Ion Antonescu, who was executed for war crimes in 1946, are back in the news of late. That’s because both men have been lauded as national heroes by Călin Georgescu, shock winner of last weekend’s first round of Romania’s presidential election.
Continue reading...The Dutch policy director and former MEP on the unprecedented reach of big tech, the need for confident governments, and why the election of Trump changes everything
Marietje Schaake is a former Dutch member of the European parliament. She is now the international policy director at Stanford University Cyber Policy Center and international policy fellow at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence. Her new book is entitled The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley.
In terms of power and political influence, what are the main differences between big tech and previous incarnations of big business?
The difference is the role that these tech companies play in so many aspects of people’s lives: in the state, the economy, geopolitics. So while previous monopolists amassed a lot of capital and significant positions, they were usually in one sector, like oil or car production. These tech companies are like octopuses with tentacles in so many different directions. They have so much data, location data, search, communications, critical infrastructure, and now AI can be built on top of all that assembled power, which makes these companies very different animals to what we’ve seen in the past.
The Tech Coup by Marietje Schaake is published by Princeton University Press (£22). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
Continue reading...Some in the US are reconsidering children, with fears over reproductive healthcare and the climate crisis front of mind
Chris Peterson wasn’t surprised that Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. But he was surprised by how quickly he and his wife started asking one another: should we try to have another baby before a possible nationwide abortion ban takes effect? Or should we give up on having a second child?
Peterson and his wife, who live in North Carolina, are thousands of dollars in debt because their first child needed to spend weeks in the hospital after being born prematurely. They had wanted to pay off that debt and wait a few years before having a second baby. But now, reproductive rights are again in the balance – Trump has said he would veto a nationwide abortion ban, but his allies are emboldened to push through more restrictions.
Continue reading...Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin heads preferred as Dáil leaders over Harris – although return of current government most probable outcome
Voters in Ireland have expressed dissatisfaction with the taoiseach, Simon Harris, despite a return of the current government being the most probable outcome of the election, according to an exit poll.
Of those 5,000 voters surveyed after they placed their vote, 35% named Fianna Fáil’s leader, Micheál Martin, as their preferred new leader of the 34th Dáil.
Continue reading...Trump, Farage and Hancock have done it. Now, the ex-Conservative minister joins the list seeking to reinvent himself via reality TV – is it really ok, though?
We have to start by getting all of the Jacob Rees-Mogg caveats out of the way: Jacob Rees-Mogg is staunchly anti-abortion, even in cases of incest and rape; Jacob Rees-Mogg is still, amazingly, pro-Brexit; Jacob Rees-Mogg admires the political machinations of Nigel Farage and Donald Trump; Jacob Rees-Mogg once slouched down in Parliament in a way that made Caroline Lucas get mad at him. Then we have to cover the “MPs on television” caveats: Matt Hancock shouldn’t have been allowed to reform his image on I’m a Celebrity, Farage shouldn’t have been either, and while I’m at it I don’t like Ed Balls on Good Morning Britain. Now all the caveats are out of the way, a fun one just for me: Jacob Rees-Mogg looks like an umbrella Dracula threw away so he wouldn’t have to take too much baggage on to the ship Demeter. There. Now we can get going.
All that is to say, Jacob Rees-Mogg this week launches a reality show on Discovery+ (from Monday). It’s one of those statements that makes you feel you perhaps made the wrong sandwich choice once in 2014, leapt on to an alternative timeline as a direct result, and now we’re here. But no: ham and cheese was correct, this is really happening. His wife Helena is in it, his various children are in it, his castle is in it, his SW1 townhouse is in it, his nanny is in it, a man called Sean who buffs his vintage Bentley is in it, his mother – whom he calls “Lady Rees-Mogg”! – is in it, the buildup to the 2024 general election is in it. There’s a lot of idle playing with cricket balls, dressing too formally for dinner at home, actually saying “yah”, and a big coordinated two-car drive to Boris Johnson’s birthday party. It has to-camera confessionals and scenes of unbelievably familiar domesticity and a few snatched glances of moments you can very much tell they would have preferred had not been captured in full HD by a crew. It is, by any measure you’ve got, fairly impeccable reality TV show-making.
Continue reading...He’s said $42.45bn spent by the US for rural internet isn’t efficient. His Starlink company stands to benefit if he reduces that investment
Elon Musk, named by Donald Trump to co-lead a commission aimed at reducing the size of the federal government, is poised to undermine funding for rural broadband services to benefit his satellite internet services company, Starlink.
Musk has long been a critic of the Biden administration’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (Bead) Program, which provides $42.45bn through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill to expand high-speed internet access in rural communities. Starlink, the satellite internet services subsidiary of SpaceX, has largely been shut out of this funding after government agencies deemed it too slow to qualify.
Continue reading...The granular detail of Kim Leadbeater’s bill for England and Wales is yet to be agreed, and some MPs want reassurances before finally backing it
As a few low murmurs broke out in a respectfully reflective House of Commons chamber after its historic vote on assisted dying in England and Wales, one figure in the public gallery had a special interest in the result.
Back in 2015, Rob Marris, the former Labour MP for Wolverhampton South West, had tabled the previous attempt to pass a bill changing the law. It was comprehensively defeated.
Continue reading...Cash from dictatorships and shell companies is entering the political system via legal loopholes
Loopholes in the law are allowing “dark money” to infiltrate UK politics, with almost £1 in every £10 donated to parties and politicians coming from unknown or dubious sources, analysis reveals.
Cash from companies that have never turned a profit, from unincorporated associations that do not have to declare their funders, and banned donations from overseas donors via intermediaries are all entering the system, according to research by Transparency International (TI).
Continue reading...The government has its five missions. But the deeper cause of Britain’s malaise is the unhealthy and unhappy nature of the modern eceonomy
We often hear how ministers should be more honest about the state of the economy. How they should signal their intentions and, before announcing a policy shift, have the guts and intellectual heft to debate the expected impact in public, such that when a section of the public dislikes the plan, at least they understand why it has been set in motion.
It was a message Rachel Reeves absorbed and used as a defence for her first budget in October, only to come unstuck when she shocked businesses with a previously undiscussed change to the terms of employer national insurance contributions and an ill-considered last-minute grab at farmers’ incomes via a rise in inheritance tax.
Continue reading...Canadian prime minister describes ‘excellent conversation’ amid concern over president-elect’s tariff plans
Justin Trudeau made a surprise visit to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate to have what he called an “excellent conversation”, making Canada’s prime minister the first G7 leader to meet with the US president-elect before his second term.
The meeting came amid widespread fears in Canada and many other parts of the world that Trump’s promised trade policy of imposing tariffs will cause widespread economic chaos.
Continue reading...Villagers hit by extreme weather accuse Labour of neglecting flood defences as Reform UK reaps political rewards – while denying impact of climate crisis
Thick, dark slurry flecked with stones and twigs covers the entire ground floor of Ralph Connor and Tina Honeyfield’s terraced house in the former coal mining village of Cwmtillery in south Wales. They use the lights on their phone to show what happened when a long-abandoned coal tip collapsed during last weekend’s torrential rainfall and surged through their front and back doors.
“Our house bore the brunt of the landslide… I spent an hour holding the door to prevent the slurry from getting in [last Sunday night],” says Connor, 49, as he stands in the cold gloom of their powerless living room. “It was frightening but when you are in it, you just react. It’s fight or flight.”
Continue reading...Family and friends gathered for speeches and musical performances from the Proclaimers and Dougie MacLean
The former prime minister Gordon Brown and the Scottish first minister, John Swinney, were among those who gathered at a memorial service for Alex Salmond after his sudden death in October at the age of 69.
Tributes were paid to Salmond during the service on Saturday in Edinburgh; held to celebrate his love of Scotland and his commitment to the cause of independence.
Continue reading...Actor known for playing Harry Potter’s Ron Weasley in HMRC legal dispute for second time
The Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint has been ordered to pay £1.8m in taxes after a legal dispute with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Grint, best known for playing Ron Weasley in the film franchise, was told to pay the figure in 2019 when HMRC questioned one of his tax returns.
Continue reading...A long-awaited Fifa report into the legacy of the Qatar World Cup has been published, but only after its key recommendation was rejected by the organisation.
Fifa’s subcommittee on human rights and social responsibility has found that the game’s world body “has a responsibility” to provide financial remedy to workers who suffered loss as a result of employment at the 2022 World Cup. Its report argues that Fifa should use its Qatar legacy fund for those workers. Two days before the report was published, however, Fifa announced that the $50m fund would be used on international development projects instead.
Continue reading...As King Charles and Prince William roll out the red carpet, human rights campaigners say they must press for reforms
The royal family is being deployed by the UK government to roll out the red carpet for the autocratic leaders of Gulf states, amid hopes of a trade deal with the oil-rich countries.
This week will see King Charles welcome the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher, to Buckingham Palace – the first state visit under the new Labour government. The visit comes amid a flurry of activity involving the royal family or government ministers with the Gulf Cooperation Council’s six nations: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Continue reading...President-elect’s list of branded products continues to grow – and he seems to be profiting from his eclectic range
Donald Trump raised eyebrows earlier this month when he announced he was selling a line of $11,000 guitars – the musical instrument becoming the latest item in a string of Trump-endorsed products that include sneakers, a Bible and a “victory cologne”.
Billed as “the only guitar officially endorsed by President Donald J Trump”, the acoustic and electric axes bear all the gaudy insignia of Trump’s political campaigns, and have been developed “with the help of a master luthier”.
Continue reading...Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup bid received a higher technical score from Fifa than the 2026 joint bid by the United States, Canada and Mexico, even though the Middle Eastern nation has yet to construct a number of stadiums proposed for the tournament.
Fifa released its bid evaluation report in the early hours of Saturday morning and said the 2034 bid received an overall average score of 4.2 out of 5, though eight stadiums are still to be built. All venues – including the planned 92,760-seater King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh – will not be completed until 2032, but three new stadiums are expected to be finished for the Asian Cup which kicks off in January 2027.
Continue reading...From actor Stephen Graham on his childhood heroes to the best Christmas gifts for foodies: the best original photographs from the Observer commissioned in November 2024
Continue reading...From the the Barnett formula to the humiliation of having an English ‘Prince of Wales’, you’d never catch Scotland allowing this treatment
When you come to Wales, one of your first impressions is of how delighted people here are to be Welsh. Even those who have left feel a strong pride in their Welsh identity, according to a study of the Welsh diaspora published last week. It is a source of immense pride to them that they are from Wales. It should be. It is a miracle of history that Wales and Welshness even still exists.
In the floods that devastated much of south Wales last weekend, we saw the very best of our nation. Tight communities, coming together in the face of obstacles that would shatter the morale of all but the most resilient. But after more than 16 years of calling Wales home and covering it as a journalist, I am struck by a great paradox. Though the people of Wales will go 12 rounds with anyone who scorns their country, there is deep down a seeming acceptance among many that it is Wales’s lot to be perpetually treated as less of a nation than Scotland.
Will Hayward is a Guardian columnist. He publishes a regular newsletter on Welsh politics
Continue reading...Employment minister wants to create new ‘public employment service’ to transform the UK job market
“This is why I love jobcentres: because they’re intensely hopeful places.” The employment minister, Alison McGovern, has just spent half an hour perched on the edge of a desk in a drab office block in Hoxton, east London, hearing from a group of job coaches.
“Intensely hopeful” is not the stereotypical view of jobcentres, whose staff have the role of checking up on benefits claims, as well as pointing the way to jobs. Jobcentres have faced repeated criticism, not least by McGovern’s boss, Liz Kendall, who says they are not fit for purpose.
Continue reading...Making dying easier is not the solution when NHS, social and palliative care are simply not there for patients
The succession of former prime ministers who lined up in recent days to assert their compassion for the dying was quite something. David Cameron, Theresa May, Liz Truss, Boris Johnson – all of them wanting us to know just how much they cared. Imagine if this roll call of political powerhouses – each of whom was better placed than anyone to improve the fate of those with terminal diagnoses – had used that power, while in office, to do something concrete, tangible, to alleviate the terminal suffering that allegedly touched them so deeply. Imagine, in other words, if their actions then had matched their fine words now.
I don’t doubt the strength of feeling behind this vote in favour of legalising assisted dying in England and Wales, but as someone who has cared for thousands of people with terminal illnesses, I have to wonder at its sincerity. Because every prime minister over the last 20 years – and every MP for that matter – knows full well that much (though not all) of the pain and misery of dying can be alleviated with good palliative care. They also know how much suffering at the end of life is caused by basic NHS, social and palliative care simply not being there for patients. Wes Streeting went one step further. The health secretary cited the threadbare realities of our underfunded, patchy, palliative care services as his primary reason for voting against the bill, stating (correctly) that the postcode lottery in care denies many patients a genuine choice at the end of life.
Rachel Clarke is a palliative care doctor and the author of Breathtaking: Inside the NHS in a Time of Pandemic
Continue reading...The project, which took 22 years to complete, unearthed more than 300,000 treasures now on display across its subway stations
It caused untold commotion, decades of disruption and – among historians and archaeologists – controversy and despair. But at midday on Saturday, the antiquities-rich subterranean world of Thessaloniki will open to a world of driverless trains and hi-tech automation with the inauguration of its long-awaited subway.
The excitement on the streets of the northern Greek port city is almost palpable. “Archaeologically, it has been an extremely complex and difficult endeavour,” said the culture minister, Lina Mendoni, of the more than 300,000 finds made since construction began 22 years ago. “To get here required a battle on many fronts.”
Continue reading...Special envoy needed to help free citizens subjected to ‘hostage diplomacy’ by authoritarian regimes, senate committee finds
Australia needs a specialist envoy dedicated to freeing its citizens arbitrarily detained by rogue nations, a senate committee inquiry has recommended.
The practice of “hostage diplomacy” is an increasing threat, the senate committee found, and Australians should be specifically warned that authoritarian regimes in some countries – naming China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Mali and Myanmar – arbitrarily detain Australian citizens.
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Continue reading...Canada’s PM to dine with US president-elect at Mar-a-Lago resort, news reports say, days after Trump threatens 25% tariff on Canadian imports
The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has arrived in Palm Beach, Florida, ahead of a meeting Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort, according to media reports, days after the US president-elect threatened the US’s neighbour with import tariffs once he takes office.
The Canadian prime minister’s public itinerary does not list a scheduled visit to Florida. Neither Trudeau’s office nor Trump’s representatives immediately responded to requests for comment.
Continue reading...MPs advanced the proposed bill. With ethical dilemmas and practical safeguards under scrutiny, challenges still remain unresolved
On Friday, MPs voted to advance legislation on assisted dying in England and Wales, reflecting polling that shows widespread public support. However, a slim majority, of less than one-tenth of the House, should temper the confidence of its proponents. This is a profound, historic decision that demands careful consideration. Parliament was at its best in putting through the proposals to the next stage of deliberation. The debate was marked by sobriety and the welcome absence of partisan bickering. MPs approached the issue with humility, showing respect for every contribution, regardless of stance.
The central tension between individual autonomy and societal responsibility was clearly highlighted by the discussion. MPs were right to allow for further detailed scrutiny, debate and potential amendments to ensure the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill addresses both ethical concerns and practical safeguards effectively. The desire to alleviate suffering is deeply compelling. The legislation proposes allowing mentally competent adults with a terminal diagnosis and less than six months to live to seek medical assistance to end their lives. Safeguards include independent assessments by two doctors, high court approval and a 14-day reflection period. Once the criteria have been met, a doctor may prescribe a self-administered life-ending medication.
Continue reading...Government puts forward £1.98bn in funding over three years, an increase of about 40% on last pledge
The UK has increased its contribution to the World Bank, in a move that will boost prospects for climate finance.
Next week, at a meeting in Seoul of the International Development Association (IDA) – the body that funds the World Bank’s support for low-income countries – the UK will put forward £1.98bn in funding over three years, an increase of about 40% on the previous pledge.
Continue reading...Child safety experts say similar move in Britain would penalise young people for the failings of tech companies
Child safety experts have warned the UK government against enacting an Australian-style social media ban for children under 16, which they called a “retrograde step” that would “do more harm than good”.
On Thursday, Australia became the first country in the world to ban under-16s from using social media platforms. The move was supported by a large majority of the Australian public – but academics, politicians and child rights groups said it could backfire, driving teenagers to the dark web, or make them feel more isolated.
Continue reading...MPs have taken a historic step toward legalising assisted dying in England and Wales after backing a bill that would give some terminally ill people the right to end their lives. The Commons backed the bill by 330 votes in favour to 275 against. Labour MPs told the Guardian the prime minister, Keir Starmer, and chancellor, Rachel Reeves, had voted in favour
Continue reading...Malign influence exerted by negotiators for fossil-fuel lobby dramatised in production transferring to London
The anger, frustration and then triumph of reaching a deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions was experienced for the first time 27 years ago in Kyoto in Japan.
Early in the morning on 11 December 1997, John Prescott, the then UK environment secretary who died last week, burst into the corridor where half the waiting journalists had fallen asleep, to announce that the rich developed countries had agreed to cut emissions for the first time. He was both elated and exhausted.
Continue reading...Sheinbaum says she had cooperative talks with president-elect who threatened 25% tariff against Mexico on Tuesday
Claudia Sheinbaum has said her “very kind” phone conversation with Donald Trump, in which they discussed immigration and fentanyl, means “there will not be a potential tariff war” between the US and Mexico.
The president of Mexico spoke to reporters on Thursday following Trump’s threat earlier in the week to apply a 25% tariff against Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff against China, when he takes office in January if the countries did not stop all illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling into the US.
Continue reading...The electric car brand was once a liberal favourite – but the CEO’s embrace of Trump has led to an angry backlash
As Elon Musk has embraced Donald Trump and various far-right conspiracy theories, he has left behind an aghast cohort of Tesla owners who suddenly feel embarrassed by their own cars. Many of them are now publicly displaying their dismay at Musk on their vehicles.
Sales of anti-Musk stickers have boomed since the world’s richest man declared his support for Trump and helped propel him to victory in the US presidential election, as owners of Teslas, the car brand headed by Musk, try to distance themselves from the South African-born multibillionaire.
Continue reading...Woman sustains head injuries in incident in capital and police kill two protesters in northern city
A military vehicle mowed down a woman in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, as protests have gripped the southern African country weeks after an election that the opposition said was rigged.
Videos of the incident on Wednesday that have been widely shared on social media showed an armoured vehicle speeding down a busy street into a makeshift wooden barricade attended by protesters and then driving over the woman.
Continue reading...On The Intercept Briefing, we discuss college crackdowns on Palestine solidarity protests and the chilling effect on free speech.
The post The “Palestine Exception” appeared first on The Intercept.
Democratic support for the bill dwindled as critics warned it would let Donald Trump crack down on political foes.
The post The House Just Blessed Trump’s Authoritarian Playbook by Passing Nonprofit-Killer Bill appeared first on The Intercept.
Interesting analysis: An Internet Voting System Fatally Flawed in Creative New Ways.
Abstract: The recently published “MERGE” protocol is designed to be used in the prototype CAC-vote system. The voting kiosk and protocol transmit votes over the internet and then transmit voter-verifiable paper ballots through the mail. In the MERGE protocol, the votes transmitted over the internet are used to tabulate the results and determine the winners, but audits and recounts use the paper ballots that arrive in time. The enunciated motivation for the protocol is to allow (electronic) votes from overseas military voters to be included in preliminary results before a (paper) ballot is received from the voter. MERGE contains interesting ideas that are not inherently unsound; but to make the system trustworthy—to apply the MERGE protocol—would require major changes to the laws, practices, and technical and logistical abilities of U.S. election jurisdictions. The gap between theory and practice is large and unbridgeable for the foreseeable future. Promoters of this research project at DARPA, the agency that sponsored the research, should acknowledge that MERGE is internet voting (election results rely on votes transmitted over the internet except in the event of a full hand count) and refrain from claiming that it could be a component of trustworthy elections without sweeping changes to election law and election administration throughout the U.S...
After losses like Pamela Price’s, criminal justice reformers are grappling with how to address voters’ perceptions about public safety.
The post Oakland Homicides Dropped 30 Percent. The County Still Recalled Its Prosecutor. appeared first on The Intercept.
Pam Bondi has replaced Matt Gaetz in Trump’s attorney general slot. Her lobbying clients include the GEO Group, among many others.
The post Pam Bondi, Trump’s New AG Pick, Lobbied for Private Prisons and Amazon appeared first on The Intercept.
The PRESS Act, a federal reporter shield bill, already passed the House unanimously. Trump wants it dead.
The post Congress Could Protect Journalists From Surveillance. Trump Is Lobbying to Stop Them. appeared first on The Intercept.
Sanders’s resolutions to block arms sales to Israel gained momentum, but ran headlong into White House opposition.
The post Bernie Sanders Lost Vote to Block Arms for Israel, Says U.S. Is “Funding the Starvation of Children in Gaza” appeared first on The Intercept.
Government shuts down internet, blocks highways and brings in troops to stop protest by former PM’s supporters
Pakistan’s capital was put under lockdown as the government shut down the internet, blocked highways and brought in thousands of police and paramilitaries in an attempt to prevent supporters of the former prime minister Imran Khan protesting in Islamabad.
Khan, who has been in jail for more than a year facing hundreds of charges, had issued a “final call” for his supporters to descend on Islamabad to demand his release and protest against recent changes to the judiciary and constitution.
Continue reading...Trump campaigned on mass deportations. Now he’s threatening to use the U.S. military to carry them out.
The post “Absolutely Insane”: Pentagon Officials on Trump’s Military Deportation Plan appeared first on The Intercept.
Former Skins actor Kaya Scodelario talks about growing up poor in London, why she loves doing action films – and the pitfalls of taking her kids to work. When one man discovered someone had been impersonating him for years without his knowledge, he decided to act. He reveals what happened next. And ‘the climate crisis and all the evil in the world drives me to despair’: Philippa Perry advises one reader on how to cope
Continue reading...After his wife and two of his children were killed in Gaza, Al Jazeera journalist Wael al-Dahdouh became famous around the world for his decision to keep reporting. But this was just the start of his heartbreaking journey. By Nesrine Malik
Continue reading...After two months of total war and terrible destruction, an uneasy peace has fallen on Lebanon. Will Christou reports
After more than a year of fighting and two months of all-out war, a fragile and incomplete peace has finally come to Lebanon. Now the country is left to assess the ruins of villages, damaged towns and city streets blown apart – and a shattered worldview.
Will Christou, who reports from Lebanon for the Guardian, charts how a year of rocket-fire exchanges became a full-scale war. He describes how Hezbollah, which had almost mythic status in Lebanon, was ultimately outgunned and outmanoeuvred.
Continue reading...Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Lars Sivertsen, Mark Langdon and Sid Lowe as Liverpool beat Real Madrid and remain top of the Champions League table
Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.
On the podcast today: Arne Slot continues the best ever start as Liverpool manager with an impressive 2-0 win over Real Madrid. The panel ask whether Kylian Mbappé is failing to live up to expectations.
Continue reading...The U.S. has a long tradition of shielding Israel (and itself) from war crime allegations — and threatening The Hague.
The post War Crimes Have Never Stopped the U.S. Before appeared first on The Intercept.
A joint resolution from Sen. Bernie Sanders would block arms sales to Israel. The challenge is convincing Democrats to act.
The post Senators Have a Chance to Halt Weapons Sales to Israel. Will They Take It? appeared first on The Intercept.
The marketing of a new military tech tool powered by Meta’s artificial intelligence is “irresponsible” and “clumsy,” experts said.
The post Meta-Powered Military Chatbot Advertised Giving “Worthless” Advice on Airstrikes appeared first on The Intercept.
Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., discusses Biden’s lame-duck session and erecting barriers to Trump’s agenda on The Intercept Briefing podcast.
The post Rep. Summer Lee on the Fight of Our Lives appeared first on The Intercept.
Warnings that genuine products are bulked out with cheaper sugar syrup prompt international congress to withdraw prizes
The World Beekeeping Awards will not award a prize for honey next year after warnings of widespread fraud in the global supply chain.
Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations, says it will showcase honey from around the world at its congress in Denmark, but for the first time make no awards for the product.
Continue reading...The letter urges President Joe Biden to follow through on an ultimatum his administration issued to Israel over humanitarian aid.
The post White House Staffers to Biden: “You Are Running Out of Time” on Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.
We want to hear from parents with experience in temporary accommodation about the impact on their lives, family and schooling
More than 150,000 children are living in temporary accommodation, according to official figures.
In November, the House of Commons committee on Housing, Communities and Local Government launched an inquiry into the conditions of children in temporary accommodation.
Continue reading...John Prescott, who has died at 86, served as deputy prime minister for more than a decade under Tony Blair, and was seen as a custodian of the Labour party’s traditional values in the face of a modernising leadership. Blair and Gordon Brown led tributes, with Blair telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was 'one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics'
Continue reading...
In the rapidly advancing landscape of AI technology and innovation, LimeWire emerges as a unique platform in the realm of generative AI tools. This platform not only stands out from the multitude of existing AI tools but also brings a fresh approach to content generation. LimeWire not only empowers users to create AI content but also provides creators with creative ways to share and monetize their creations.
As we explore LimeWire, our aim is to uncover its features, benefits for creators, and the exciting possibilities it offers for AI content generation. This platform presents an opportunity for users to harness the power of AI in image creation, all while enjoying the advantages of a free and accessible service.
Let's unravel the distinctive features that set LimeWire apart in the dynamic landscape of AI-powered tools, understanding how creators can leverage its capabilities to craft unique and engaging AI-generated images.
This revamped LimeWire invites users to register and unleash their creativity by crafting original AI content, which can then be shared and showcased on the LimeWire Studio. Notably, even acclaimed artists and musicians, such as Deadmau5, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston, have embraced this platform to publish their content in the form of NFT music, videos, and images.
Beyond providing a space for content creation and sharing, LimeWire introduces monetization models to empower users to earn revenue from their creations. This includes avenues such as earning ad revenue and participating in the burgeoning market of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). As we delve further, we'll explore these monetization strategies in more detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of LimeWire's innovative approach to content creation and distribution.
LimeWire Studio welcomes content creators into its fold, providing a space to craft personalized AI-focused content for sharing with fans and followers. Within this creative hub, every piece of content generated becomes not just a creation but a unique asset—ownable and tradable. Fans have the opportunity to subscribe to creators' pages, immersing themselves in the creative journey and gaining ownership of digital collectibles that hold tradeable value within the LimeWire community. Notably, creators earn a 2.5% royalty each time their content is traded, adding a rewarding element to the creative process.
The platform's flexibility is evident in its content publication options. Creators can choose to share their work freely with the public or opt for a premium subscription model, granting exclusive access to specialized content for subscribers.
As of the present moment, LimeWire focuses on AI Image Generation, offering a spectrum of creative possibilities to its user base. The platform, however, has ambitious plans on the horizon, aiming to broaden its offerings by introducing AI music and video generation tools in the near future. This strategic expansion promises creators even more avenues for expression and engagement with their audience, positioning LimeWire Studio as a dynamic and evolving platform within the realm of AI-powered content creation.
The LimeWire AI image generation tool presents a versatile platform for both the creation and editing of images. Supporting advanced models such as Stable Diffusion 2.1, Stable Diffusion XL, and DALL-E 2, LimeWire offers a sophisticated toolkit for users to delve into the realm of generative AI art.
Much like other tools in the generative AI landscape, LimeWire provides a range of options catering to various levels of complexity in image creation. Users can initiate the creative process with prompts as simple as a few words or opt for more intricate instructions, tailoring the output to their artistic vision.
What sets LimeWire apart is its seamless integration of different AI models and design styles. Users have the flexibility to effortlessly switch between various AI models, exploring diverse design styles such as cinematic, digital art, pixel art, anime, analog film, and more. Each style imparts a distinctive visual identity to the generated AI art, enabling users to explore a broad spectrum of creative possibilities.
The platform also offers additional features, including samplers, allowing users to fine-tune the quality and detail levels of their creations. Customization options and prompt guidance further enhance the user experience, providing a user-friendly interface for both novice and experienced creators.
Excitingly, LimeWire is actively developing its proprietary AI model, signaling ongoing innovation and enhancements to its image generation capabilities. This upcoming addition holds the promise of further expanding the creative horizons for LimeWire users, making it an evolving and dynamic platform within the landscape of AI-driven art and image creation.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
Upon completing your creative endeavor on LimeWire, the platform allows you the option to publish your content. An intriguing feature follows this step: LimeWire automates the process of minting your creation as a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), utilizing either the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. This transformative step imbues your artwork with a unique digital signature, securing its authenticity and ownership in the decentralized realm.
Creators on LimeWire hold the power to decide the accessibility of their NFT creations. By opting for a public release, the content becomes discoverable by anyone, fostering a space for engagement and interaction. Furthermore, this choice opens the avenue for enthusiasts to trade the NFTs, adding a layer of community involvement to the artistic journey.
Alternatively, LimeWire acknowledges the importance of exclusivity. Creators can choose to share their posts exclusively with their premium subscribers. In doing so, the content remains a special offering solely for dedicated fans, creating an intimate and personalized experience within the LimeWire community. This flexibility in sharing options emphasizes LimeWire's commitment to empowering creators with choices in how they connect with their audience and distribute their digital creations.
After creating your content, you can choose to publish the content. It will automatically mint your creation as an NFT on the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. You can also choose whether to make it public or subscriber-only.
If you make it public, anyone can discover your content and even trade the NFTs. If you choose to share the post only with your premium subscribers, it will be exclusive only to your fans.
Additionally, you can earn ad revenue from your content creations as well.
When you publish content on LimeWire, you will receive 70% of all ad revenue from other users who view your images, music, and videos on the platform.
This revenue model will be much more beneficial to designers. You can experiment with the AI image and content generation tools and share your creations while earning a small income on the side.
The revenue you earn from your creations will come in the form of LMWR tokens, LimeWire’s own cryptocurrency.
Your earnings will be paid every month in LMWR, which you can then trade on many popular crypto exchange platforms like Kraken, ByBit, and UniSwap.
You can also use your LMWR tokens to pay for prompts when using LimeWire generative AI tools.
You can sign up to LimeWire to use its AI tools for free. You will receive 10 credits to use and generate up to 20 AI images per day. You will also receive 50% of the ad revenue share. However, you will get more benefits with premium plans.
For $9.99 per month, you will get 1,000 credits per month, up to 2 ,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 50% ad revenue share
For $29 per month, you will get 3750 credits per month, up to 7500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 60% ad revenue share
For $49 per month, you will get 5,000 credits per month, up to 10,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
For $99 per month, you will get 11,250 credits per month, up to 2 2,500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
With all premium plans, you will receive a Pro profile badge, full creation history, faster image generation, and no ads.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
In conclusion, LimeWire emerges as a democratizing force in the creative landscape, providing an inclusive platform where anyone can unleash their artistic potential and effortlessly share their work. With the integration of AI, LimeWire eliminates traditional barriers, empowering designers, musicians, and artists to publish their creations and earn revenue with just a few clicks.
The ongoing commitment of LimeWire to innovation is evident in its plans to enhance generative AI tools with new features and models. The upcoming expansion to include music and video generation tools holds the promise of unlocking even more possibilities for creators. It sparks anticipation about the diverse and innovative ways in which artists will leverage these tools to produce and publish their own unique creations.
For those eager to explore, LimeWire's AI tools are readily accessible for free, providing an opportunity to experiment and delve into the world of generative art. As LimeWire continues to evolve, creators are encouraged to stay tuned for the launch of its forthcoming AI music and video generation tools, promising a future brimming with creative potential and endless artistic exploration
Are you looking for a new graphic design tool? Would you like to read a detailed review of Canva? As it's one of the tools I love using. I am also writing my first ebook using canva and publish it soon on my site you can download it is free. Let's start the review.
Canva has a web version and also a mobile app
Canva is a free graphic design web application that allows you to create invitations, business cards, flyers, lesson plans, banners, and more using professionally designed templates. You can upload your own photos from your computer or from Google Drive, and add them to Canva's templates using a simple drag-and-drop interface. It's like having a basic version of Photoshop that doesn't require Graphic designing knowledge to use. It’s best for nongraphic designers.
Canva is a great tool for small business owners, online entrepreneurs, and marketers who don’t have the time and want to edit quickly.
To create sophisticated graphics, a tool such as Photoshop can is ideal. To use it, you’ll need to learn its hundreds of features, get familiar with the software, and it’s best to have a good background in design, too.
Also running the latest version of Photoshop you need a high-end computer.
So here Canva takes place, with Canva you can do all that with drag-and-drop feature. It’s also easier to use and free. Also an even-more-affordable paid version is available for $12.95 per month.
The product is available in three plans: Free, Pro ($12.99/month per user or $119.99/year for up to 5 people), and Enterprise ($30 per user per month, minimum 25 people).
To get started on Canva, you will need to create an account by providing your email address, Google, Facebook or Apple credentials. You will then choose your account type between student, teacher, small business, large company, non-profit, or personal. Based on your choice of account type, templates will be recommended to you.
You can sign up for a free trial of Canva Pro, or you can start with the free version to get a sense of whether it’s the right graphic design tool for your needs.
When you sign up for an account, Canva will suggest different post types to choose from. Based on the type of account you set up you'll be able to see templates categorized by the following categories: social media posts, documents, presentations, marketing, events, ads, launch your business, build your online brand, etc.
Start by choosing a template for your post or searching for something more specific. Search by social network name to see a list of post types on each network.
Next, you can choose a template. Choose from hundreds of templates that are ready to go, with customizable photos, text, and other elements.
You can start your design by choosing from a variety of ready-made templates, searching for a template matching your needs, or working with a blank template.
Inside the Canva designer, the Elements tab gives you access to lines and shapes, graphics, photos, videos, audio, charts, photo frames, and photo grids.The search box on the Elements tab lets you search everything on Canva.
To begin with, Canva has a large library of elements to choose from. To find them, be specific in your search query. You may also want to search in the following tabs to see various elements separately:
The Photos tab lets you search for and choose from millions of professional stock photos for your templates.
You can replace the photos in our templates to create a new look. This can also make the template more suited to your industry.
You can find photos on other stock photography sites like pexel, pixabay and many more or simply upload your own photos.
When you choose an image, Canva’s photo editing features let you adjust the photo’s settings (brightness, contrast, saturation, etc.), crop, or animate it.
When you subscribe to Canva Pro, you get access to a number of premium features, including the Background Remover. This feature allows you to remove the background from any stock photo in library or any image you upload.
The Text tab lets you add headings, normal text, and graphical text to your design.
When you click on text, you'll see options to adjust the font, font size, color, format, spacing, and text effects (like shadows).
Canva Pro subscribers can choose from a large library of fonts on the Brand Kit or the Styles tab. Enterprise-level controls ensure that visual content remains on-brand, no matter how many people are working on it.
Create an animated image or video by adding audio to capture user’s attention in social news feeds.
If you want to use audio from another stock site or your own audio tracks, you can upload them in the Uploads tab or from the more option.
Want to create your own videos? Choose from thousands of stock video clips. You’ll find videos that range upto 2 minutes
You can upload your own videos as well as videos from other stock sites in the Uploads tab.
Once you have chosen a video, you can use the editing features in Canva to trim the video, flip it, and adjust its transparency.
On the Background tab, you’ll find free stock photos to serve as backgrounds on your designs. Change out the background on a template to give it a more personal touch.
The Styles tab lets you quickly change the look and feel of your template with just a click. And if you have a Canva Pro subscription, you can upload your brand’s custom colors and fonts to ensure designs stay on brand.
If you have a Canva Pro subscription, you’ll have a Logos tab. Here, you can upload variations of your brand logo to use throughout your designs.
With Canva, you can also create your own logos. Note that you cannot trademark a logo with stock content in it.
With Canva, free users can download and share designs to multiple platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack and Tumblr.
Canva Pro subscribers can create multiple post formats from one design. For example, you can start by designing an Instagram post, and Canva's Magic Resizer can resize it for other networks, Stories, Reels, and other formats.
Canva Pro subscribers can also use Canva’s Content Planner to post content on eight different accounts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack, and Tumblr.
Canva Pro allows you to work with your team on visual content. Designs can be created inside Canva, and then sent to your team members for approval. Everyone can make comments, edits, revisions, and keep track via the version history.
When it comes to printing your designs, Canva has you covered. With an extensive selection of printing options, they can turn your designs into anything from banners and wall art to mugs and t-shirts.
Canva Print is perfect for any business seeking to make a lasting impression. Create inspiring designs people will want to wear, keep, and share. Hand out custom business cards that leave a lasting impression on customers' minds.
The Canva app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The Canva app has earned a 4.9 out of five star rating from over 946.3K Apple users and a 4.5 out of five star rating from over 6,996,708 Google users.
In addition to mobile apps, you can use Canva’s integration with other Internet services to add images and text from sources like Google Maps, Emojis, photos from Google Drive and Dropbox, YouTube videos, Flickr photos, Bitmojis, and other popular visual content elements.
In general, Canva is an excellent tool for those who need simple images for projects. If you are a graphic designer with experience, you will find Canva’s platform lacking in customization and advanced features – particularly vectors. But if you have little design experience, you will find Canva easier to use than advanced graphic design tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator for most projects. If you have any queries let me know in the comments section.
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Continue reading...The pronatalist movement in the US is gathering pace once again, rekindled by Silicon Valley personalities and hard-right conservatives who are becoming increasingly vocal about whether or not women are having enough babies. But it's not just in the US, some governments in other countries have launched marketing campaigns encouraging people to have more children, while others have offered financial incentives. But while many of these policies claim to be about halting population decline, there are other factors at play. Josh Toussaint-Strauss interrogates efforts around the world to boost birth rates, as well as the underlying political motivations, from bodily autonomy to immigration
Birthrates are plummeting worldwide. Can governments turn the tide?
When desperate measures to persuade women to have children fail, it’s time for fresh thinking
ESA and Thales Alenia Space have signed a contract amendment today at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan to extend the Lunar View refuelling module for the lunar Gateway.
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