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Algorithms Are Coming for Democracy—but It’s Not All Bad
2024-12-03T12:00:47Z
In 2025, AI is poised to change every aspect of democratic politics—but it won’t necessarily be for the worse.
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has used AI to translate his speeches for his multilingual electorate in real time, demonstrating how AI can help diverse democracies to be more inclusive. AI avatars were used by presidential candidates in South Korea in electioneering, enabling them to provide answers to thousands of voters’ questions simultaneously. We are also starting to see AI tools aid fundraising and get-out-the-vote efforts. AI techniques are starting to augment more traditional polling methods, helping campaigns get cheaper and faster data. And congressional candidates have started using AI robocallers to engage voters on issues. In 2025, these trends will continue. AI doesn’t need to be superior to human experts to augment the labor of an overworked canvasser, or to write ad copy similar to that of a junior campaign staffer or volunteer. Politics is competitive, and any technology that can bestow an advantage, or even just garner attention, will be used...
Supreme Court conservatives cited overseas laws to defend draconian legislation in Tennessee banning gender-affirming care.
The post To Deprive Trans Kids of Medical Care, Supreme Court Looks to Britain and Sweden appeared first on The Intercept.
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George Mason University suspended its Students for Justice in Palestine chapter and effectively kicked out the group’s co-president.
The post Police Raid Pro-Palestine Students’ Home in FBI-Led Graffiti Investigation appeared first on The Intercept.
Election is being contested between vice-president Mahamudu Bawumia and former president John Mahama, under whom corruption ballooned
When the Ghanaian opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo won the presidential election on his third attempt in 2016, many saw it as a turning point.
The first person to unseat an incumbent, his historic win captured his compatriots’ frustration. Alleged corruption had ballooned under his predecessor, John Mahama: in one instance, Mahama accepted a $100,000 (£79,000) car from a foreign contractor that his spokesperson said was put into a pool of presidential vehicles; in another, judges were captured on video collecting bribes to dispense justice.
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...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.
President-elect says Navarro, his former White House trade adviser, will focus on tariffs
Donald Trump said he would name former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro as senior counselor for trade and manufacturing.
Navarro made headlines earlier this year when, in March, he was jailed for contempt of Congress.
Continue reading...Former Fox host tries to charm Republican senators amid growing questions over suitability; Atkins named amid flurry of appointments
Conservative justice Brett Kavanaugh brought up the possibility that minors who receive gender-affirming care could later regret doing so.
“You say there are benefits from allowing these treatments, but there are also harms, right, from allowing these treatments, at least the state says so, including lost fertility, the physical and psychological effects on those who later change their mind and want to detransition, which I don’t think we can ignore,” Kavanaugh said.
The record evidence demonstrates that the rates of regret are very low for the population that has access to this treatment. So these are adolescents who have marked and sustained gender dysphoria that has worsened with the onset of puberty. They are very likely to persist in their gender identity. But if you’re thinking about this from the standpoint of, there’s no harm in just making them wait until they’re adults, I think you have to recognize that the effect of denying this care is to produce irreversible physical effects that are consistent with their birth sex, because they have to go through puberty before they turn 18.
So, essentially, what this law is doing is saying we’re going to make all adolescents in the state develop the physical secondary sex characteristics consistent with their gender or with their sex assigned at birth, even though that might significantly worsen gender dysphoria, increase the risk of suicide, and, I think, critically, make it much harder to live and be accepted in their gender identity as an adult. Because if you’re requiring someone to undergo a male puberty, and they develop an Adam’s apple, that’s going to be hard to reverse, and they’re more likely to be identified as transgender and subject to discrimination and harassment as adults.
Continue reading...Hannah Byrne joined Facebook to combat far-right extremism. She’s now convinced the tech giant can’t be trusted with such power.
The post She Joined Facebook to Fight Terror. Now She’s Convinced We Need to Fight Facebook. appeared first on The Intercept.
Private equity firms play a key role in America’s prison system. If Trump carries out his plans for mass deportations, they stand to benefit.
The post Guess Who Profits From Trump’s Deportation Plan? Private Equity Firms. appeared first on The Intercept.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Research shows common air pollutants can be detrimental to egg, sperm and embryo development
Maternal and paternal exposure to common air pollutants may increase the risk of infertility because it can be detrimental to egg, sperm and embryo development, new research in the US finds.
Previous papers have established that air pollution exposure probably contributes to infertility, but it has been unclear whether the toxins affected men or women because both parents face similar exposures. That also made it difficult to establish when in the conception process damage occurred.
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.
Testing found acute lead toxicosis as cause of death of two lorikeets, a honeyeater and three grey-headed flying foxes in Port Pirie
Dozens of native birds and flying foxes have been killed by “acute” lead poisoning in the South Australian regional town of Port Pirie, with contamination fears in the town that is home to one of the world’s largest lead smelters.
Earlier this year locals in the 17,600-person town raised the alarm when they began to find dead native birds and flying foxes in large numbers in parks and green spaces, with subsequent testing of several animals showing they died from acute lead poisoning.
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Continue reading...Mark Dickinson of the Nautilus International trade union responds to an editorial about the environmental harm caused by cruise ships
Your editorial on cruise ships (26 November) asserts that the International Maritime Organization’s carbon-reduction targets “do not put it on a path to net zero”. We disagree. In July 2023, the IMO adopted a revised greenhouse gas strategy committing the global shipping industry to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This includes ambitious checkpoints for 2030 and 2040.
You also advocate for mandatory adoption of green technologies and the imposition of green taxes. It is worth noting that a global carbon levy is already part of the measures set to become mandatory in 2025 via amendments to the Marpol convention. Since 2011, this instrument has included binding provisions on greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the use of shore power, which reduces reliance on ship engines while moored, is increasingly mandated by ports, with EU regulations coming into effect by 2030 to make shore power compulsory for passenger vessels in major European ports.
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.
UK and foreign law enforcement agencies say networks laundered cash and cryptocurrencies for organised crime gangs across the west
Operatives said to be behind a billion-dollar Russian money-laundering network – used by drug dealers, financial criminals and foreign spies – have been sanctioned and arrested in a coordinated international investigation led by the National Crime Agency.
The UK law enforcement body, which tackles serious and organised crime, said the actions constituted the “most significant money laundering operation” it had undertaken in the past few years. The operation involved America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation, France’s Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire and Ireland’s Garda.
Continue reading... |
Imagine a world in which you can do transactions and many other things without having to give your personal information. A world in which you don’t need to rely on banks or governments anymore. Sounds amazing, right? That’s exactly what blockchain technology allows us to do.
It’s like your computer’s hard drive. blockchain is a technology that lets you store data in digital blocks, which are connected together like links in a chain.
Blockchain technology was originally invented in 1991 by two mathematicians, Stuart Haber and W. Scot Stornetta. They first proposed the system to ensure that timestamps could not be tampered with.
A few years later, in 1998, software developer Nick Szabo proposed using a similar kind of technology to secure a digital payments system he called “Bit Gold.” However, this innovation was not adopted until Satoshi Nakamoto claimed to have invented the first Blockchain and Bitcoin.
A blockchain is a distributed database shared between the nodes of a computer network. It saves information in digital format. Many people first heard of blockchain technology when they started to look up information about bitcoin.
Blockchain is used in cryptocurrency systems to ensure secure, decentralized records of transactions.
Blockchain allowed people to guarantee the fidelity and security of a record of data without the need for a third party to ensure accuracy.
To understand how a blockchain works, Consider these basic steps:
Let’s get to know more about the blockchain.
Blockchain records digital information and distributes it across the network without changing it. The information is distributed among many users and stored in an immutable, permanent ledger that can't be changed or destroyed. That's why blockchain is also called "Distributed Ledger Technology" or DLT.
Here’s how it works:
And that’s the beauty of it! The process may seem complicated, but it’s done in minutes with modern technology. And because technology is advancing rapidly, I expect things to move even more quickly than ever.
Even though blockchain is integral to cryptocurrency, it has other applications. For example, blockchain can be used for storing reliable data about transactions. Many people confuse blockchain with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.
Blockchain already being adopted by some big-name companies, such as Walmart, AIG, Siemens, Pfizer, and Unilever. For example, IBM's Food Trust uses blockchain to track food's journey before reaching its final destination.
Although some of you may consider this practice excessive, food suppliers and manufacturers adhere to the policy of tracing their products because bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella have been found in packaged foods. In addition, there have been isolated cases where dangerous allergens such as peanuts have accidentally been introduced into certain products.
Tracing and identifying the sources of an outbreak is a challenging task that can take months or years. Thanks to the Blockchain, however, companies now know exactly where their food has been—so they can trace its location and prevent future outbreaks.
Blockchain technology allows systems to react much faster in the event of a hazard. It also has many other uses in the modern world.
Blockchain technology is safe, even if it’s public. People can access the technology using an internet connection.
Have you ever been in a situation where you had all your data stored at one place and that one secure place got compromised? Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to prevent your data from leaking out even when the security of your storage systems is compromised?
Blockchain technology provides a way of avoiding this situation by using multiple computers at different locations to store information about transactions. If one computer experiences problems with a transaction, it will not affect the other nodes.
Instead, other nodes will use the correct information to cross-reference your incorrect node. This is called “Decentralization,” meaning all the information is stored in multiple places.
Blockchain guarantees your data's authenticity—not just its accuracy, but also its irreversibility. It can also be used to store data that are difficult to register, like legal contracts, state identifications, or a company's product inventory.
Blockchain has many advantages and disadvantages.
I’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about blockchain in this section.
Blockchain is not a cryptocurrency but a technology that makes cryptocurrencies possible. It's a digital ledger that records every transaction seamlessly.
Yes, blockchain can be theoretically hacked, but it is a complicated task to be achieved. A network of users constantly reviews it, which makes hacking the blockchain difficult.
Coinbase Global is currently the biggest blockchain company in the world. The company runs a commendable infrastructure, services, and technology for the digital currency economy.
Blockchain is a decentralized technology. It’s a chain of distributed ledgers connected with nodes. Each node can be any electronic device. Thus, one owns blockhain.
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, which is powered by Blockchain technology while Blockchain is a distributed ledger of cryptocurrency
Generally a database is a collection of data which can be stored and organized using a database management system. The people who have access to the database can view or edit the information stored there. The client-server network architecture is used to implement databases. whereas a blockchain is a growing list of records, called blocks, stored in a distributed system. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, timestamp and transaction information. Modification of data is not allowed due to the design of the blockchain. The technology allows decentralized control and eliminates risks of data modification by other parties.
Blockchain has a wide spectrum of applications and, over the next 5-10 years, we will likely see it being integrated into all sorts of industries. From finance to healthcare, blockchain could revolutionize the way we store and share data. Although there is some hesitation to adopt blockchain systems right now, that won't be the case in 2022-2023 (and even less so in 2026). Once people become more comfortable with the technology and understand how it can work for them, owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs alike will be quick to leverage blockchain technology for their own gain. Hope you like this article if you have any question let me know in the comments section
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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the most popular digital assets today, capturing the attention of cryptocurrency investors, whales and people from around the world. People find it amazing that some users spend thousands or millions of dollars on a single NFT-based image of a monkey or other token, but you can simply take a screenshot for free. So here we share some freuently asked question about NFTs.
NFT stands for non-fungible token, which is a cryptographic token on a blockchain with unique identification codes that distinguish it from other tokens. NFTs are unique and not interchangeable, which means no two NFTs are the same. NFTs can be a unique artwork, GIF, Images, videos, Audio album. in-game items, collectibles etc.
A blockchain is a distributed digital ledger that allows for the secure storage of data. By recording any kind of information—such as bank account transactions, the ownership of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), or Decentralized Finance (DeFi) smart contracts—in one place, and distributing it to many different computers, blockchains ensure that data can’t be manipulated without everyone in the system being aware.
The value of an NFT comes from its ability to be traded freely and securely on the blockchain, which is not possible with other current digital ownership solutionsThe NFT points to its location on the blockchain, but doesn’t necessarily contain the digital property. For example, if you replace one bitcoin with another, you will still have the same thing. If you buy a non-fungible item, such as a movie ticket, it is impossible to replace it with any other movie ticket because each ticket is unique to a specific time and place.
One of the unique characteristics of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is that they can be tokenised to create a digital certificate of ownership that can be bought, sold and traded on the blockchain.
As with crypto-currency, records of who owns what are stored on a ledger that is maintained by thousands of computers around the world. These records can’t be forged because the whole system operates on an open-source network.
NFTs also contain smart contracts—small computer programs that run on the blockchain—that give the artist, for example, a cut of any future sale of the token.
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) aren't cryptocurrencies, but they do use blockchain technology. Many NFTs are based on Ethereum, where the blockchain serves as a ledger for all the transactions related to said NFT and the properties it represents.5) How to make an NFT?
Anyone can create an NFT. All you need is a digital wallet, some ethereum tokens and a connection to an NFT marketplace where you’ll be able to upload and sell your creations
When you purchase a stock in NFT, that purchase is recorded on the blockchain—the bitcoin ledger of transactions—and that entry acts as your proof of ownership.
The value of an NFT varies a lot based on the digital asset up for grabs. People use NFTs to trade and sell digital art, so when creating an NFT, you should consider the popularity of your digital artwork along with historical statistics.
In the year 2021, a digital artist called Pak created an artwork called The Merge. It was sold on the Nifty Gateway NFT market for $91.8 million.
Non-fungible tokens can be used in investment opportunities. One can purchase an NFT and resell it at a profit. Certain NFT marketplaces let sellers of NFTs keep a percentage of the profits from sales of the assets they create.
Many people want to buy NFTs because it lets them support the arts and own something cool from their favorite musicians, brands, and celebrities. NFTs also give artists an opportunity to program in continual royalties if someone buys their work. Galleries see this as a way to reach new buyers interested in art.
There are many places to buy digital assets, like opensea and their policies vary. On top shot, for instance, you sign up for a waitlist that can be thousands of people long. When a digital asset goes on sale, you are occasionally chosen to purchase it.
To mint an NFT token, you must pay some amount of gas fee to process the transaction on the Etherum blockchain, but you can mint your NFT on a different blockchain called Polygon to avoid paying gas fees. This option is available on OpenSea and this simply denotes that your NFT will only be able to trade using Polygon's blockchain and not Etherum's blockchain. Mintable allows you to mint NFTs for free without paying any gas fees.
The answer is no. Non-Fungible Tokens are minted on the blockchain using cryptocurrencies such as Etherum, Solana, Polygon, and so on. Once a Non-Fungible Token is minted, the transaction is recorded on the blockchain and the contract or license is awarded to whoever has that Non-Fungible Token in their wallet.
You can sell your work and creations by attaching a license to it on the blockchain, where its ownership can be transferred. This lets you get exposure without losing full ownership of your work. Some of the most successful projects include Cryptopunks, Bored Ape Yatch Club NFTs, SandBox, World of Women and so on. These NFT projects have gained popularity globally and are owned by celebrities and other successful entrepreneurs. Owning one of these NFTs gives you an automatic ticket to exclusive business meetings and life-changing connections.
That’s a wrap. Hope you guys found this article enlightening. I just answer some question with my limited knowledge about NFTs. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below. Also I have a question for you, Is bitcoin an NFTs? let me know in The comment section below
In the rapidly advancing landscape of AI technology and innovation, LimeWire emerges as a unique platform in the realm of generative AI tools. This platform not only stands out from the multitude of existing AI tools but also brings a fresh approach to content generation. LimeWire not only empowers users to create AI content but also provides creators with creative ways to share and monetize their creations.
As we explore LimeWire, our aim is to uncover its features, benefits for creators, and the exciting possibilities it offers for AI content generation. This platform presents an opportunity for users to harness the power of AI in image creation, all while enjoying the advantages of a free and accessible service.
Let's unravel the distinctive features that set LimeWire apart in the dynamic landscape of AI-powered tools, understanding how creators can leverage its capabilities to craft unique and engaging AI-generated images.
This revamped LimeWire invites users to register and unleash their creativity by crafting original AI content, which can then be shared and showcased on the LimeWire Studio. Notably, even acclaimed artists and musicians, such as Deadmau5, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston, have embraced this platform to publish their content in the form of NFT music, videos, and images.
Beyond providing a space for content creation and sharing, LimeWire introduces monetization models to empower users to earn revenue from their creations. This includes avenues such as earning ad revenue and participating in the burgeoning market of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). As we delve further, we'll explore these monetization strategies in more detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of LimeWire's innovative approach to content creation and distribution.
LimeWire Studio welcomes content creators into its fold, providing a space to craft personalized AI-focused content for sharing with fans and followers. Within this creative hub, every piece of content generated becomes not just a creation but a unique asset—ownable and tradable. Fans have the opportunity to subscribe to creators' pages, immersing themselves in the creative journey and gaining ownership of digital collectibles that hold tradeable value within the LimeWire community. Notably, creators earn a 2.5% royalty each time their content is traded, adding a rewarding element to the creative process.
The platform's flexibility is evident in its content publication options. Creators can choose to share their work freely with the public or opt for a premium subscription model, granting exclusive access to specialized content for subscribers.
As of the present moment, LimeWire focuses on AI Image Generation, offering a spectrum of creative possibilities to its user base. The platform, however, has ambitious plans on the horizon, aiming to broaden its offerings by introducing AI music and video generation tools in the near future. This strategic expansion promises creators even more avenues for expression and engagement with their audience, positioning LimeWire Studio as a dynamic and evolving platform within the realm of AI-powered content creation.
The LimeWire AI image generation tool presents a versatile platform for both the creation and editing of images. Supporting advanced models such as Stable Diffusion 2.1, Stable Diffusion XL, and DALL-E 2, LimeWire offers a sophisticated toolkit for users to delve into the realm of generative AI art.
Much like other tools in the generative AI landscape, LimeWire provides a range of options catering to various levels of complexity in image creation. Users can initiate the creative process with prompts as simple as a few words or opt for more intricate instructions, tailoring the output to their artistic vision.
What sets LimeWire apart is its seamless integration of different AI models and design styles. Users have the flexibility to effortlessly switch between various AI models, exploring diverse design styles such as cinematic, digital art, pixel art, anime, analog film, and more. Each style imparts a distinctive visual identity to the generated AI art, enabling users to explore a broad spectrum of creative possibilities.
The platform also offers additional features, including samplers, allowing users to fine-tune the quality and detail levels of their creations. Customization options and prompt guidance further enhance the user experience, providing a user-friendly interface for both novice and experienced creators.
Excitingly, LimeWire is actively developing its proprietary AI model, signaling ongoing innovation and enhancements to its image generation capabilities. This upcoming addition holds the promise of further expanding the creative horizons for LimeWire users, making it an evolving and dynamic platform within the landscape of AI-driven art and image creation.
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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.
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Hannah Byrne joined Facebook to combat far-right extremism. She’s now convinced the tech giant can’t be trusted with such power.
The post She Joined Facebook to Fight Terror. Now She’s Convinced We Need to Fight Facebook. appeared first on The Intercept.
Conflicts around the globe and domestic policies on immigration and vaccinations are likely to face upheaval
The second Donald Trump administration is expected to have a vast impact both domestically and around the world, potentially reshaping everything from the very private – such as abortion access in the US – right through to something as public as the health of the planet itself.
While Trump’s policies and their effects will take time to emerge, we can tell a lot about where things are heading by comparing the status quo to current data trends in six key areas, from migration and war through to climate and vaccine uptake.
Continue reading...President-elect says Navarro, his former White House trade adviser, will focus on tariffs
Donald Trump said he would name former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro as senior counselor for trade and manufacturing.
Navarro made headlines earlier this year when, in March, he was jailed for contempt of Congress.
Continue reading...Soldiers and marines discover drugs in Sinaloa, while separately authorities arrest more than 5,200 migrants
Mexican security forces have impounded more than a ton of fentanyl pills in what officials have called the biggest seizure of the synthetic opioid in the country’s history.
Soldiers and marines found the fentanyl at two properties in the northern state of Sinaloa, late on Tuesday – exactly a week after Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico unless the two neighbouring countries cracked down on the flow of immigrants and drugs across their borders with the US.
Continue reading...Leaders cast the other as ill-prepared after Trump threatens to apply 25% taxes on goods from both countries
Mexico’s president has said Canadians “could only wish they had the cultural riches” of her country as tensions mount between the two nations, caught in a feud over tariffs and trade exacerbated by Donald Trump.
The US president-elect threatened in a social media post last week to apply devastating levies of 25% on all goods and services from both countries, and to keep them in place until “such time as drugs, in particular fentanyl, and all illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country!”
Continue reading...Private equity firms play a key role in America’s prison system. If Trump carries out his plans for mass deportations, they stand to benefit.
The post Guess Who Profits From Trump’s Deportation Plan? Private Equity Firms. appeared first on The Intercept.
In 2025, AI is poised to change every aspect of democratic politics—but it won’t necessarily be for the worse.
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has used AI to translate his speeches for his multilingual electorate in real time, demonstrating how AI can help diverse democracies to be more inclusive. AI avatars were used by presidential candidates in South Korea in electioneering, enabling them to provide answers to thousands of voters’ questions simultaneously. We are also starting to see AI tools aid fundraising and get-out-the-vote efforts. AI techniques are starting to augment more traditional polling methods, helping campaigns get cheaper and faster data. And congressional candidates have started using AI robocallers to engage voters on issues. In 2025, these trends will continue. AI doesn’t need to be superior to human experts to augment the labor of an overworked canvasser, or to write ad copy similar to that of a junior campaign staffer or volunteer. Politics is competitive, and any technology that can bestow an advantage, or even just garner attention, will be used...
Ben Stokes has revealed a personal stand-off with the International Cricket Council about over-rate penalties, including his refusal as England captain to sign the relevant post-match paperwork as a protest against the system.
Speaking before the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington, and naming an unchanged England XI as they target an unassailable 2-0 lead, Stokes laid bare his frustrations at the sides being docked three World Test Championship points and 15% of their match fees for the sluggish, albeit four-day, series opener in Christchurch.
Continue reading...This blog is closed – you can follow live coverage on our new liveblog
The White House has said it is “closely” monitoring the situation in South Korea.
“The administration is in contact with the ROK government and is monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesperson for the national security council said, using the official acronym for the Republic of Korea, where thousands of US troops are based as parts of efforts to deter nuclear-armed North Korea.
All political activities are banned in South Korea following the imposition of martial law on Tuesday and all media will be subject to government monitoring.
All political activities, including those of the national assembly, local councils, political parties, and political associations, as well as assemblies and demonstrations, are strictly prohibited.
Continue reading...Former Fox host tries to charm Republican senators amid growing questions over suitability; Atkins named amid flurry of appointments
Conservative justice Brett Kavanaugh brought up the possibility that minors who receive gender-affirming care could later regret doing so.
“You say there are benefits from allowing these treatments, but there are also harms, right, from allowing these treatments, at least the state says so, including lost fertility, the physical and psychological effects on those who later change their mind and want to detransition, which I don’t think we can ignore,” Kavanaugh said.
The record evidence demonstrates that the rates of regret are very low for the population that has access to this treatment. So these are adolescents who have marked and sustained gender dysphoria that has worsened with the onset of puberty. They are very likely to persist in their gender identity. But if you’re thinking about this from the standpoint of, there’s no harm in just making them wait until they’re adults, I think you have to recognize that the effect of denying this care is to produce irreversible physical effects that are consistent with their birth sex, because they have to go through puberty before they turn 18.
So, essentially, what this law is doing is saying we’re going to make all adolescents in the state develop the physical secondary sex characteristics consistent with their gender or with their sex assigned at birth, even though that might significantly worsen gender dysphoria, increase the risk of suicide, and, I think, critically, make it much harder to live and be accepted in their gender identity as an adult. Because if you’re requiring someone to undergo a male puberty, and they develop an Adam’s apple, that’s going to be hard to reverse, and they’re more likely to be identified as transgender and subject to discrimination and harassment as adults.
Continue reading...Lawyers argue that sitting president is ‘immune from indictment or any criminal process, state or federal’
Donald Trump’s attorney in Georgia has asked the state’s appellate court to dismiss election interference charges against the president-elect, arguing that a sitting president “is completely immune from indictment or any criminal process, state or federal”.
The filing by attorney Steve Sadow before the Georgia court of appeals asks the court to dismiss Trump’s appeal of a lower-court decision to allow Fulton county district attorney Fani Willis to remain as prosecutor on the case, because the Fulton county superior court no longer has jurisdiction, given Trump’s electoral victory.
Continue reading...Pete Hegseth, who has been accused of drunken, irresponsible and predatory behavior, would be in charge of the world’s most powerful military
It takes a lot to get a man’s mother to declare him an “abuser of women”. Mothers, as a rule, are not known for their ungenerous assessments of their sons’ behavior. But Penelope Hegseth, the mother of the Fox News personality Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Defense, once did just that in an email to her son.
“I have no respect for a man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego,” Hegseth’s mother wrote to him. “You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains and embarrasses me to say that, but it’s the sad, sad truth.” The email – which Hegseth’s mother later disavowed – appears to have come around the time of the dissolution of Hegseth’s second marriage; during Hegseth’s first marriage, according to a new report by Vanity Fair, he confessed to no fewer than five affairs.
Moira Donegan is a Guardian US columnist
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Activists among 92% of Black women who voted for Harris discuss how intersection of racism and sexism led to defeat
Misogynoir, the intersection of racism and sexism, was the main reason behind Kamala Harris’s loss in the 2024 general election, a panel of Black female experts argued, noting how post-election coverage has failed to contend with how white supremacy undergirded the election results.
In a conversation titled “Views from the 92%: Black Women Reflect on 2024 Election and Road Ahead”, several academics dissected how and why the vice-president lost, particularly given Trump’s problematic history.
Continue reading...Native leaders ready for a fight as Trump calls ANWR, one of the last truly wild places on Earth, the US’s ‘biggest oil farm’
The Arctic national wildlife refuge (ANWR) is one of the earth’s last intact ecosystems. Vast and little-known, this 19m-acre expanse along Alaska’s north slope is home to some of the region’s last remaining polar bears, as well as musk oxen, wolves and wolverines. Millions of birds from around the world migrate to or through the region each year, and it serves as the calving grounds for the porcupine caribou.
Donald Trump has called the refuge the US’s “biggest oil farm”.
Continue reading...Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense vows not to back down despite multiple controversies emerging since he was named
Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s embattled nominee for secretary of defense, shared an impassioned post saying he will “never back down” amid a flurry of rumors that the president-elect is contemplating replacing him with Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis.
“I’m doing this for the warfighters, not the warmongers. The Left is afraid of disrupters and change agents. They are afraid of [Donald Trump] – and me. So they smear w/ fake, anonymous sources & BS stories. They don’t want truth. Our warriors never back down, & neither will I,” Hegseth wrote on X on Wednesday morning.
Continue reading...Rightwing broadcaster’s ratings surge in month featuring farmers’ protest in London and Trump re-election in US
It may be the bane of many liberals, and its provocative broadcasts have certainly kept Ofcom busy since its launch.
But despite all the controversy, the audience for GB News keeps rising, and November appeared to be another significant month.
Continue reading...It’s been the biggest year for elections in human history: 2024 is a “super-cycle” year in which 3.7 billion eligible voters in 72 countries had the chance to go the polls. These are also the first AI elections, where many feared that deepfakes and artificial intelligence-generated misinformation would overwhelm the democratic processes. As 2024 draws to a close, it’s instructive to take stock of how democracy did.
In a Pew survey of Americans from earlier this fall, nearly eight times as many respondents expected AI to be used for mostly bad purposes...
With high scores for friendly neighbours and access to services, Woodbridge in Suffolk has topped Rightmove’s annual list for the first time
It may not have the bright lights of London or Edinburgh, or even the celebrity or notoriety of some of the Great Britain’s better known villages and towns.
But in one respect, Woodbridge in Suffolk seems to trump them all: it is the happiest place to live in Britain. At least that is the conclusion of a survey by the property website Rightmove.
Woodbridge, East of England, £441,569, £1,478
Richmond upon Thames, London, £939,329, £3,131
Hexham, North East, £313,147, £840
Monmouth, Wales, £320,974, £1,335
Harrogate, Yorkshire and the Humber, £394,312, £1,439
Skipton, Yorkshire and the Humber, £263,479, £1,030
Sevenoaks, South East, £881,061, £2,924
Leigh on Sea, East of England, £465,542, £1,796
Cirencester, South West, £384,013, £1,495
Wokingham, South East, £590,949, £2,120
Winchester, South East, £578,760, £2,069
Stirling, Scotland, £214,441, £1,227
Stratford-upon-Avon, West Midlands, £413,115, £1,604
Horsham, South East, £458,641, £1,983
Kendal, North West, £285,645, £966
Kensington and Chelsea, London, £1,667,573, £5,345
Chorley, North West, £197,199, £883
Hove, South East, £555,193, £1,993
Wandsworth, London, £865,205, £3,159
Hitchin, East of England, £510,612, £1,730
Continue reading...A second term for Trump has chilling implications for critical independent journalism and the media the industry
Donald Trump’s second term promises to deliver historic threats to US press freedom – directly from the Oval Office.
The president-elect made it clear during the campaign that he had the media in his sights. He told a rally on the eve of the election that he “wouldn’t mind” if an assassin shot the journalists standing in front of him.
Continue reading...Hunter Biden cut the line while thousands of people who deserve similar considerations of mercy languish in prison
When Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he would be pardoning his son Hunter – who was facing sentencing in two federal criminal cases – he helped cement Donald Trump’s much-repeated argument that the American judicial system is rotten, politicized and in need of an overhaul.
It’s a stupid refrain, but there are some heavy issues with Biden’s choice to do this now. What are we to make of the hypocrisy of a president who promised he’d “never interfere in the dealings of the justice department”, and swore even up until six weeks ago that he would not pardon his son? Or the fact that he just delivered Trump and the Republican party the kind of ammunition they need to justify pardoning, say, the orchestrators of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol? More morally troubling is that there’s a million other worthy causes that Biden could be using his pardon powers for.
Continue reading...Figures in the art world including Amy Sherald and Marilyn Minter share their concerns ahead of Trump’s return
The Iraqi artist Vian Sora has seen the absolute worst that politics has to offer – she spent most of her first 30 years living under Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship in Iraq, then endured the destruction of her country following the US invasion in 2003. Years later, she surfaced in the United States as a refugee. Her art, which mixes bright, neon colors with motifs from the ancient history of her homeland, is a testament to the history that has scarred her and her resilience as a survivor.
Settled now in Louisville, Kentucky, along with the family that she worked tirelessly to bring over from Iraq, she is a part of an art community grappling with what their vocation will mean now that Donald Trump has been elected president. The stakes for Sora are not just creative; her family itself may be threatened by Trump’s presidency. “I am acutely frightened by the prospects of refugees and immigrants becoming persona non grata,” she said, “as my sister has an asylum case that remains in jeopardy.”
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Archaic depictions of farmers | The ‘wondrous’ US constitution | Statues of limitations | Who’s the mug? | Inflated ego
The illustration published with John Harris’s column (1 December) showed a “typical” farmer hoping for a break in the (economic) clouds. Did he have to be from 1960s central casting? Flat cap, neckerchief, green wellies and chewing on straw? Leaning on a spade in an obviously ploughed field? Surely the Guardian doesn’t share the government’s archaic view of farmers.
Ian Stewart
Brackley, Northamptonshire
• Simon Jenkins lauds that “thing of wonder”, the US constitution, which has “held the union together … for two and a half centuries” (Biden pardons his son, Trump will absolve his criminal allies. America shouldn’t stand for this, 2 December). Has the small matter of the civil war – southern secession, four years of armed conflict, over 600,000 dead and a divisive legacy – slipped his mind?
Alan Knight
Emeritus professor of history, Oxford University
Canadian government scrambles to ward off tariffs as prime minister briefs politicians on meeting with Trump
Canada’s federal government has redoubled its efforts to ward off potentially disastrous tariffs from its closest ally, but provincial leaders have hinted at divergent strategies in response to the protectionist threat from president-elect Donald Trump.
Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, convened a rare, in-person meeting with his political rivals on Tuesday to brief them on a surprise meeting with Trump at his Florida resort over the weekend.
Continue reading...The musician is back with a live album and as passionate as ever. She discusses fans, failure, muses, misogyny – and why she won’t tolerate bad behaviour
By the third UK lockdown, Tori Amos was wondering if she would ever play live again. At her remote house in Cornwall, where we meet, she began mourning the loss of connection with her audience. When the US singer and songwriter is on tour, giving her famously passionate performances, hundreds of letters pour in every day, requesting songs. “I try to read as many as I can, and we change the show every night, except the bookends. Anything else is up for grabs.”
Her relationship with her fans has always been collaborative. They tell her things. They trust her. In person, she has an open-book quality that immediately draws you in. When I arrive at her place – a detached but unassuming house upfront, and a warren of more recently built workshops at the back, filled with beautiful pianos, a massive mixing desk and the harpsichord she played on her album Boys for Pele – we have lunch with her husband and sound engineer, Mark Hawley. The conversation roams through football, raving, legal training (their 24-year-old daughter Tash is studying law in Washington DC) and how good the pumpkin soup is.
Continue reading...The Intercept asked companies that store personal data if they will help Trump conduct mass deportations. Few had anything to say.
The post These Tech Firms Won’t Tell Us If They Will Help Trump Deport Immigrants appeared first on The Intercept.
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.
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Opposition parties submit motion to impeach Yoon after his shock bid to put South Korea under martial law for first time in over four decades
South Korean opposition parties have formally submitted a motion to impeach the president, Yoon Suk Yeol, over his short-lived declaration of martial law.
Early on Thursday, lawmakers presented to parliament an impeachment motion alleging that Yoon “gravely and extensively violated the constitution and the law” and accuses him of imposing martial law “with the unconstitutional and illegal intent to evade imminent investigations... into alleged illegal acts involving himself and his family”.
Continue reading...Alistair Carns says a casualty rate similar to Russia’s invasion could lead to the army being ‘expended’ within six to 12 months
The British army would be wiped out in as little as six months if it was forced to fight a war on the scale of the Ukraine conflict, a defence minister has warned.
Alistair Carns said a rate of casualties similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to the army being “expended” within six to 12 months.
Continue reading...Joe Biden’s Indo-Pacific policy of pursuing detente against China at all costs meant embracing Yoon, whose anti-democratic attitude has always been clear
Jean Baudrillard’s 1986 travel diary of his time in Reagan’s America – “the only remaining primitive society on earth”, in his words – describes a paradox about the nature of late-century American hegemony. “American power does not seem inspired by any spirit or genius of its own,” wrote Baudrillard, “but it is, in a sense, uncontested and incontestable.” American “genius” appeared to suffer “from the weakening of all the forces that previously opposed it” – the incoherence of American strategic thinking, to Baudrillard, was thus a measure of its success.
Today, there are American adversaries everywhere – not least in what is now called the Indo-Pacific. But no such “spirit or genius” seemed to underpin the Biden administration’s response to the Tuesday coup in South Korea, much less South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s attempted overthrow of democratic rule. The Biden administration’s response has been, to say the least, limp. At the time of writing, the state department has said little beyond an assurance that its alliance with South Korea is “ironclad” and that the United States will “stand by Korea in its time of uncertainty”.
Alex Bronzini-Vender is a writer living in New York
Continue reading...Since the separation of the Koreas in 1953, our elders have experienced the suspension of normal civil rights many times. But for the younger generation, this was a horrifying and instructive first
At 10.23pm on 3 December in Seoul, I was already in bed, alternating between reading a book and watching YouTube cooking reels. That was when Yoon Suk Yeol, the president, declared emergency martial law in South Korea for the first time since 1979.
In an unannounced televised address, Yoon said the imposition of martial law was “aimed at eradicating pro-North Korean forces and protecting the constitutional order of freedom”.
Continue reading...UK and foreign law enforcement agencies say networks laundered cash and cryptocurrencies for organised crime gangs across the west
Operatives said to be behind a billion-dollar Russian money-laundering network – used by drug dealers, financial criminals and foreign spies – have been sanctioned and arrested in a coordinated international investigation led by the National Crime Agency.
The UK law enforcement body, which tackles serious and organised crime, said the actions constituted the “most significant money laundering operation” it had undertaken in the past few years. The operation involved America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation, France’s Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire and Ireland’s Garda.
Continue reading...Statement comes as Ukrainian intelligence says Russia will send mercenaries to support flagging troops allied to Damascus
Moscow has condemned “external forces” seeking to escalate violence in Syria, despite reports from Ukrainian military intelligence that Russia is to send mercenaries to support flagging troops allied to Damascus.
The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova blamed outside actors for instigating a recent sweeping insurgent offensive, after Islamist militants spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of the city of Aleppo at the weekend in a shock advance.
Continue reading...Trove had been preserved by warm waters and mud at the Tuscan springs near Siena
Bronze snakes, statues, two gold crowns, jewellery, thousands of coins and perfectly intact eggs are among the latest remarkable discoveries to emerge from the site of an ancient thermal spa in a small town in Tuscany.
The trove had been preserved by the warm waters and mud at the springs, believed to have been built by the Etruscans in the second century BC, in San Casciano dei Bagni, a hilltop town close to Siena.
Continue reading...Czech foreign minister says Europe ‘needs to send a strong signal to Moscow that this won’t be tolerated’
A senior European diplomat said that up to 100 “suspicious incidents” in Europe this year could be attributed to Russia, as western officials grapple with how to respond to suspected Russian sabotage attempts.
Speaking ahead of a meeting with Nato counterparts in Brussels, the Czech foreign minister, Jan Lipavský, stressed that Europe “needs to send a strong signal to Moscow that this won’t be tolerated”.
Continue reading...Opposition Democratic party lawmakers have called on Yoon Suk Yeol to resign immediately or they would seek his impeachment
South Korea’s finance ministry has said it stood ready to deploy “unlimited” liquidity into financial markets after President Yoon Suk Yeol lifted a martial law declaration he imposed overnight that pushed the won to multi-year lows, Reuters reports.
The announcement came after finance minister Choi Sang-mok and Bank of Korea governor Rhee Chang-yong held emergency talks overnight, and as the central bank board abruptly met to approve rescue measures for the local credit market.
Continue reading...November was Ukraine’s worst month since September 2022 for territory lost to Russian forces. These charts and maps show the latest developments in the war
Ukraine lost an area equivalent to the size of New York City to Russian forces in November – the worst monthly figure for Ukrainian defenders since September 2022.
After the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia gained ground quickly before being pushed back in a Ukrainian counteroffensive. Last year, with the conflict mostly at a stalemate, Institute for the Study of War (ISW) data shows that Russian forces took 2,233 sq km (862 sq miles) of territory. Already in 2024 they have taken about 2,656 sq km.
Continue reading...South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol sparked major protests by announcing martial law. He reversed his decision in the face of massive opposition
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After South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in the country, thousands of protesters took to the streets alongside the leading opposition Democratic party, urging MPs to head to the national assembly and vote it down. Following a dramatic night in which soldiers attempted to block MPs from entering parliament, lawmakers unanimously adopted a bill rejecting the martial law declaration, prompting the president to backtrack. Here is how the night unfolded in Seoul
Declaration of martial law awakens ghosts South Koreans thought were laid to rest
South Korea gripped by uncertainty as MPs defy president’s declaration of martial law
The Philadelphia school ordered teachers to “stay neutral” on Israel’s war on Gaza, but they helped students make pro-Palestine posters.
The post Three Teachers Tried to Give Palestinian Students a Safe Haven — and It Cost Them Their Jobs appeared first on The Intercept.
Canonisation has long been a way for the Catholic church to shape its image. The Vatican is preparing to anoint its first millennial saint, but how does it decide who is worthy?
As a child growing up in Milan, Carlo Acutis collected stories of miracles. He wrote about the time when, in 1411, wine turned to blood in a castle chapel in Ludbreg, Croatia; of how, in 1630, a pastor in Canosio, Italy, saved his town from a flood by blessing the raging waters; of how, in 1906, a priest on the island of Tumaco, Colombia, held up a reliquary on the beach to stop an approaching tsunami. Acutis, 11 years old and a devout Catholic, began typing up these stories and posting them on his website, which he styled as a “virtual museum” of miraculous events. A section on the site invited visitors to “discover how many friends you have in heaven”, and to read stories of young saints.
Acutis hoped to one day join their ranks. He was convinced that he would die before he reached adulthood and told his mother, Antonia, that he would perish of “a broken vein in his brain”. He wanted to be buried in the town of Assisi, where his family had a summer home. In the meantime, he devoted his life to the church, which was a surprise to his largely secular parents. As a teenager, he taught catechism classes to young children, and offered them a step-by-step guide to becoming a saint. ““Always remember that you, too, can become a saint!” he would say. Every day, they were to go to mass, recite the Holy Rosary, read the scripture and confess their sins.
Continue reading...After a rocky start, PM sets out ‘next phase’ covering economic growth, NHS backlogs, energy, and a ‘bobby on every beat’
Keir Starmer will attempt to reset his premiership with a series of pledges to show he is “delivering change”, including 13,000 extra neighbourhood police and a named “bobby on every beat”.
In a speech Labour hopes will set out the “next phase” of government, the prime minister will detail half a dozen “milestone” targets covering living standards, NHS backlogs, secure energy, housebuilding and children’s readiness for school.
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Mary Lawlor criticizes US’s failure to respond to concerns after Alex Connon and John Mark Rozendaal charges
A leading UN human rights expert has expressed dismay after the US government failed to respond to questions about the criminal crackdown on peaceful climate protesters.
Mary Lawlor, the UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders, on Tuesday published a letter sent to US authorities raising concerns about the potential violation of international human rights law after two climate activists, Alex Connon and John Mark Rozendaal, were charged with crimes that carried lengthy jail terms.
Continue reading...Blackouts reported across country as government grapples with economic crisis, fuel shortages and hurricanes
Cuba’s national electrical system collapsed early on Wednesday morning after the country’s largest power plant failed, the government said, the latest of several such failures as the island’s grid falls into disarray amid fuel shortages, natural disaster and economic crisis.
The country’s energy and mines ministry said the Antonio Guiteras power plant in Matanzas, the island’s top electricity producer, had shut down at about 2am, prompting the grid collapse.
Continue reading...Hi r/technology! I’m Gene Berdichevsky, Co-Founder and CEO of Sila, a next-gen battery materials company. My journey in battery innovation began as the 7th employee at Tesla, helping lead the development of the Roadster battery, the world’s first safe, mass-produced lithium-ion battery system for EVs.
At Tesla, I realized that conventional lithium-ion batteries had reached their energy limits, due to the use of graphite anodes. The lack of progress in lithium-ion battery performance is a major barrier to improvements in EV range, charge time, and cost—critical factors for mass adoption. I knew there had to be a better solution, and at Sila we engineered one. Using silicon as an anode material has been the holy grail within battery innovation circles because of its ability to store 10x more charge than graphite. However, the powerful properties of silicon were hard to tame for safe, commercial use in batteries. After more than a decade of research, we cracked the code.
We introduced the first next-gen battery material to the market. Our anode, Titan Silicon, boosts energy density by 20-40% to enable smaller, more powerful batteries. Our tech debuted in the Whoop 4.0 fitness tracker and is now powering multiple devices. We recently launched a Battery Engineering Service to help device manufacturers bring ambitious product innovations to the market, powered by next-gen battery performance.
Designing batteries for cars—a “computer on four wheels”—taught me how to create batteries that can power major platform shifts. Now, I’m applying these principles at Sila to address the growing demands of consumer electronics, a fast-evolving market driven by AI and AR. As brands race to market, battery design has become a critical focus in product development. If battery life falls short, consumers will switch brands, making battery performance a top priority.
Ask me anything about silicon anode technology, designing batteries for new products, or how we’re working to ensure that battery life is not left behind in the wave of power-hungry devices embedded with AI and AR. I’ll be here until 10am PT to answer your questions!
My proof: https://imgur.com/a/LXeppqw
*edit 10:30am -- hopping off now and will check back in later to tackle a few more questions! so if anythings pressing, feel free to drop your question below. thanks everyone for the great questions and conversation!!
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.
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.
Palestinians from Gaza feel relief for the people of Lebanon. We are also heartbroken that we are still being slaughtered.
The post There’s a Ceasefire in Lebanon, but Israel Keeps Gaslighting Palestinians About Ending the Assault on Gaza 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.
Interesting analysis:
We introduce and explore a little-known threat to digital equality and freedomwebsites geoblocking users in response to political risks from sanctions. U.S. policy prioritizes internet freedom and access to information in repressive regimes. Clarifying distinctions between free and paid websites, allowing trunk cables to repressive states, enforcing transparency in geoblocking, and removing ambiguity about sanctions compliance are concrete steps the U.S. can take to ensure it does not undermine its own aims.
The paper: “...
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.
Russia is engaging in a 'shadow war' with Nato states, which is reportedly part of a deliberate strategy to undermine the alliance’s ability to support Ukraine. At the same time Russia's military industrial complex is producing arms at a formidable rate, and with Nato countries struggling to keep up in term of numbers, the arms race is having a big impact on the frontline. Josh Toussaint-Strauss finds out how Russia is using hybrid warfare alongside boosting its arms industry to outpace Nato, and what this all means for the war in Ukraine
West’s spy chiefs alarmed at recklessness of Russian counterparts
Russia to raise defence budget by 25% to highest level on record
‘A lot higher than we expected’: Russian arms production worries Europe’s war planners
The blockbuster musical was named best movie while Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman picked up key acting prizes
Blockbuster musical Wicked has launched into this year’s Oscar race with a major win from the National Board of Review.
The adaptation of the Broadway hit was named best movie by the group whose picks are seen as a major indicator of Oscar success. “Wicked represents the pure magic that movies can bring to audiences,” said the NBR president, Annie Schulhof. “Every detail is beautifully crafted and designed, the actors are all exceptional and the music is second-to-none – together it adds up to a transporting experience like no other.”
Continue reading...From a Lego Pharrell Williams to a monkey Robbie Williams, modern biopics are reimagining lives to uncover deeper truths
Biographical films have long been favoured by Hollywood studios for their prestige while offering actors the kind of meaty roles that win audiences – and Oscars. This year’s Oppenheimer was no exception, winning in seven categories including best film, best director and best actor. The film employed creative licence to dramatise the life of J Robert Oppenheimer, the iconic physicist and wartime director of the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico, as he and his fellow atomic scientists and engineers raced to develop the first atomic bomb in the early 1940s. But did the movie push those liberties far enough? That’s the question asked by new biopics that place perhaps a greater value on interpretation, not just documentation. The first is the upcoming musical biopic Better Man, in which rock star Robbie Williams is portrayed as a monkey, while everyone else around him remains human. Directed by Michael Gracey, the filmmaker behind The Greatest Showman – a $435m grossing hit – the film is released on Boxing Day in the UK. It follows the monkey version of Williams from a fractious childhood to boy-band fame with Take That and, later, solo superstardom.
Hot on its heels comes Piece by Piece, a $16m musical documentary – the first Lego documentary – about hip-hop superstar Pharrell Williams. Williams wrote five new tracks for the film and took care to ensure the Lego versions of his friends, family and collaborators were as true to life as blocky mini-figures could be. His top priority? Nailing the hairstyles for fellow rappers Pusha T, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg.
Continue reading...A hauntingly bad new trailer for the studio’s next live-action remake promises a nightmarish procession of CGI dwarves
Here are two things that recently happened in very quick succession: my oldest son opened his laptop and said: “Daddy! There’s a new Snow White trailer!” And then, less than two minutes after that, he shrieked: “Daddy! These dwarves are TERRIFYING!”
Reader, it brings me no happiness to inform you that Disney has done it again. Several decades after shaping the animation industry as we know it with exquisite, characterful, cutting-edge feature-length fairytales that are still rightly regarded as classics, it has decided to squeeze out a hot fat turd. As the years of counselling my son now requires will tell you, there is a trailer for Disney’s new live-action Snow White movie. And it is beyond horrible.
Continue reading...
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the most popular digital assets today, capturing the attention of cryptocurrency investors, whales and people from around the world. People find it amazing that some users spend thousands or millions of dollars on a single NFT-based image of a monkey or other token, but you can simply take a screenshot for free. So here we share some freuently asked question about NFTs.
NFT stands for non-fungible token, which is a cryptographic token on a blockchain with unique identification codes that distinguish it from other tokens. NFTs are unique and not interchangeable, which means no two NFTs are the same. NFTs can be a unique artwork, GIF, Images, videos, Audio album. in-game items, collectibles etc.
A blockchain is a distributed digital ledger that allows for the secure storage of data. By recording any kind of information—such as bank account transactions, the ownership of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), or Decentralized Finance (DeFi) smart contracts—in one place, and distributing it to many different computers, blockchains ensure that data can’t be manipulated without everyone in the system being aware.
The value of an NFT comes from its ability to be traded freely and securely on the blockchain, which is not possible with other current digital ownership solutionsThe NFT points to its location on the blockchain, but doesn’t necessarily contain the digital property. For example, if you replace one bitcoin with another, you will still have the same thing. If you buy a non-fungible item, such as a movie ticket, it is impossible to replace it with any other movie ticket because each ticket is unique to a specific time and place.
One of the unique characteristics of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is that they can be tokenised to create a digital certificate of ownership that can be bought, sold and traded on the blockchain.
As with crypto-currency, records of who owns what are stored on a ledger that is maintained by thousands of computers around the world. These records can’t be forged because the whole system operates on an open-source network.
NFTs also contain smart contracts—small computer programs that run on the blockchain—that give the artist, for example, a cut of any future sale of the token.
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) aren't cryptocurrencies, but they do use blockchain technology. Many NFTs are based on Ethereum, where the blockchain serves as a ledger for all the transactions related to said NFT and the properties it represents.5) How to make an NFT?
Anyone can create an NFT. All you need is a digital wallet, some ethereum tokens and a connection to an NFT marketplace where you’ll be able to upload and sell your creations
When you purchase a stock in NFT, that purchase is recorded on the blockchain—the bitcoin ledger of transactions—and that entry acts as your proof of ownership.
The value of an NFT varies a lot based on the digital asset up for grabs. People use NFTs to trade and sell digital art, so when creating an NFT, you should consider the popularity of your digital artwork along with historical statistics.
In the year 2021, a digital artist called Pak created an artwork called The Merge. It was sold on the Nifty Gateway NFT market for $91.8 million.
Non-fungible tokens can be used in investment opportunities. One can purchase an NFT and resell it at a profit. Certain NFT marketplaces let sellers of NFTs keep a percentage of the profits from sales of the assets they create.
Many people want to buy NFTs because it lets them support the arts and own something cool from their favorite musicians, brands, and celebrities. NFTs also give artists an opportunity to program in continual royalties if someone buys their work. Galleries see this as a way to reach new buyers interested in art.
There are many places to buy digital assets, like opensea and their policies vary. On top shot, for instance, you sign up for a waitlist that can be thousands of people long. When a digital asset goes on sale, you are occasionally chosen to purchase it.
To mint an NFT token, you must pay some amount of gas fee to process the transaction on the Etherum blockchain, but you can mint your NFT on a different blockchain called Polygon to avoid paying gas fees. This option is available on OpenSea and this simply denotes that your NFT will only be able to trade using Polygon's blockchain and not Etherum's blockchain. Mintable allows you to mint NFTs for free without paying any gas fees.
The answer is no. Non-Fungible Tokens are minted on the blockchain using cryptocurrencies such as Etherum, Solana, Polygon, and so on. Once a Non-Fungible Token is minted, the transaction is recorded on the blockchain and the contract or license is awarded to whoever has that Non-Fungible Token in their wallet.
You can sell your work and creations by attaching a license to it on the blockchain, where its ownership can be transferred. This lets you get exposure without losing full ownership of your work. Some of the most successful projects include Cryptopunks, Bored Ape Yatch Club NFTs, SandBox, World of Women and so on. These NFT projects have gained popularity globally and are owned by celebrities and other successful entrepreneurs. Owning one of these NFTs gives you an automatic ticket to exclusive business meetings and life-changing connections.
That’s a wrap. Hope you guys found this article enlightening. I just answer some question with my limited knowledge about NFTs. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below. Also I have a question for you, Is bitcoin an NFTs? let me know in The comment section below
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