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What’s at stake with a second Trump presidency – in charts and maps
Tue, 03 Dec 2024 12:00:51 GMT
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...The White House is trying to disburse last $7bn in aid approved by Congress before Trump begins second term
The Biden administration is rushing military equipment to Ukraine in a last-ditch effort to shore up the country’s defenses against the Russian invasion before Donald Trump assumes the US presidency in January.
The newly announced $725m in assistance will include Stinger anti-air missiles, anti-drone weapons, artillery shells and long-range Himars rocket munitions, and anti-armour missiles, as well as spare parts and other assistance to repair damaged equipment from US stocks, the state department said.
Continue reading...The tech billionaire is said to be considering giving $100m to Reform UK. That should jolt efforts to cap political donations
It is an inevitable consequence of the inequality inherent to the “special relationship” that, as soon as someone wins the election in the US, the British government has to swallow its objections to anything they do. Donald Trump may have been “a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath” six years ago, but it’s 2024 now and the once and future president has become “a very gracious host” with a soft spot for the royal family. Tech billionaire Elon Musk might compare Keir Starmer’s Britain to Stalin’s Russia but, as long as he’s Trump’s new best friend, “he’s far too important to ignore”.
This kind of toadying must be as embarrassing for the politicians doing it as it is for those of us watching it, but it is at least understandable. Being friends with the US is not just the foundation of our national security policy, it’s pretty much the whole thing.
Continue reading...Sheila Duncan says Labour has to address the problems facing Britain with passion if it wants public support. Plus letters from David Diprose and Maureen Tilford
John Harris raises some important issues in his article (Labour’s big relaunch won’t solve its biggest problem: this government doesn’t speak human, 1 December), but it’s crucial to dig deeper into the relationship between politics and emotion. Politicians like Donald Trump and Nigel Farage are not more “human” than those in the centre or on the left. They just know how to manipulate dark human emotions – fear, anger and resentment – in societies where there is profound inequality, very little taxation of the rich and barely regulated privatisation of all that makes civilised life possible – health services, education, water, energy and transport.
They particularly know how to manipulate resentment – the emotion that underlies fascism – when so many people struggle for survival as they watch the smug satisfaction of those who don’t.
Continue reading...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...
Relevance of World Trade Organization under scrutiny amid US president-elect’s protectionist stance
The sting of teargas was a price worth paying, said Michael Dolan, as he looks back on the Battle of Seattle and how the World Trade Organization’s attempt to break down the barriers to international trade was derailed by anti-globalisation protesters.
“The WTO has never recovered, it really hasn’t,” he said.
Continue reading...Woo Won-sik says president Yoon Suk Yeol should lift declaration immediately after vote to block it; troops reportedly starting withdrawal from parliament
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...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.
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...Stephen Feinberg, co-founder and CEO of investment firm Cerberus Capital Management, has been offered key job, media reports say
Notre Dame Cathedral will reopen in Paris on Saturday with incoming US president Donald Trump set to attend the ceremony marking the resurrection of the Gothic masterpiece five years after a devastating fire.
The Republican confirmed Monday he had accepted an invitation from French president Emmanuel Macron to attend the grand re-opening of the 850-year-old edifice which was nearly lost to flames in April 2019.
Continue reading...The prime minister won’t learn charisma, but he has a record of going places by doggedly clearing the obstacles in his way
If Rishi Sunak had clung to power until the very end of the five-year term that Boris Johnson won in 2019, he would still be prime minister today. He had until 28 January next year to hold the election. The equivalent deadline for Keir Starmer is 21 August 2029. That is a horizon beyond the reach of reliable political forecasting, even if the second half of this decade turns out less volatile than the first. More turbulence seems likelier.
But Labour’s majority is much bigger than the one Sunak lost and Starmer’s character contains none of the traits that made Johnson such a wellspring of chaos. With just 121 Tory MPs, Kemi Badenoch will struggle to have much impact in parliament. She must also compete for relevance and attention with Nigel Farage, puffed up on proximity to Donald Trump.
Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading...This is another example of a two-tiered justice system that routinely shields the powerful – and punishes the powerless
‘No one is above the law,” Joe Biden tweeted in May. He probably should have added a caveat to that because his own son appears to be floating far above the scales of justice. On Sunday the president issued a “full and unconditional” pardon to his middle child, Hunter, who was facing possible prison time for convictions on gun and tax charges. Biden and his spokespeople had previously insisted – at least seven times – that the president would not pardon his 54-year-old son and Donald Trump is, predictably, having a field day with the U-turn.
A little background for those who haven’t been following the misadventures of Hunter Biden as closely as Republicans have. Despite the fact that, unlike Trump’s children, Hunter has never held a position in Biden’s administration, Republicans are obsessed with the man and have used his problems to attack the president. And Hunter has made this easy: he has a history of dubious business dealings and his struggles with addiction have led to numerous personal scandals that have been disgracefully weaponised. At one point, the Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene showed nude photos of Hunter engaged in sex acts to the House oversight committee.
Continue reading...Nearly 2 million Mexican Americans, more than half US citizens, were deported without due process during the Great Depression, reminiscent of what is unfolding today
One sunny afternoon in February, a large group of plainclothes federal agents descended on Los Angeles’s La Placita Park, a sanctuary and bustling cultural hub for the city’s growing Mexican diaspora. Wielding guns and batons, they barricaded the park and demanded proof of citizenship or legal residency from the congregants trapped within.
Those who failed to produce papers were arrested. More than 400 people were detained and forced on a train back to Mexico, a place many had never been.
Continue reading...Questions have also been raised over reports the embattled former Fox News host mismanaged two veterans groups
Questions continued to dog Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, on Monday following reports he was twice ousted from previous organisations he led over financial mismanagement and improper behavior, with reporters asking him directly if he had an alcohol problem.
Hegseth, 44, who was visiting Capitol Hill to drum up support for his troubled nomination, did not respond when a journalist asked “Do you have an alcohol problem?” as he arrived for a meeting with Republican senators.
Continue reading...Coalition of Michel Barnier likely to fall, with Germany in election mode and Trump about to re-enter White House
France is staring into the unknown as the minority government of the prime minister, Michel Barnier, faces near-certain defeat in a no-confidence vote that could dramatically intensify the political crisis in one of the EU’s key member states.
If the vote on Wednesday is carried, Barnier’s administration, which took office only in September, would be the first in France to be ousted with a motion of no confidence since 1962. Its fall, at the hands of the far-right and leftwing parties, would be a significant blow to Europe weeks before Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Continue reading...Survey finds 25 percentage point gender gap across all age brackets on whether nuclear power would be positive for the country, with majority of men saying it would
New data points to a stark gender split in attitudes towards nuclear energy, with women much more likely to say they don’t support it or think the risks are too great.
Research company DemosAu surveyed 6,000 people on behalf of the Australian Conservation Foundation and found 26% of women thought nuclear energy would be good for Australia, compared with 51% of men.
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Continue reading...People waiting in Tapachula by Guatemala border fear Trump’s election could worsen crisis and spur northward flight
Outside the migration office, Tito subtly pointed out the watchful human smugglers leaning against a wall.
They had already tried to sell their services to Tito, who was on his way to the US but, like everyone else there, found himself stuck in Tapachula, a town in southern Mexico that has become a global way station.
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...Hunter Biden was awaiting sentencing for gun and tax offences when, suddenly, his father pardoned him. Has family loyalty been put above presidential integrity? Chris Michael explains
Joe Biden’s love for his family has long softened his public persona. From his grief at losing his first wife and daughter in a car crash, to the death of his son Beau, the tragedy he endured has been clear. And so has his obvious devotion to his second wife, Jill, and his remaining son, Hunter.
It was in this light – as a doting father keen to protect his son – that the president hopes people will see his sudden decision to grant a pardon to Hunter for gun and federal tax offences. He was due to be sentenced this month. Hunter had become the first child of a sitting president to face a criminal trial and could have spent years in prison.
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.
Canadian PM dines with Trump, who vowed tariffs unless country stops migrants and drugs from entering US
Justin Trudeau promised Donald Trump that Canada would increase surveillance over the long undefended joint border, a senior Canadian official said on Sunday. The Canadian prime minister flew to Florida on Friday to have dinner with the US president-elect, who has promised to slap tariffs on Canadian imports unless Ottawa prevents undocumented people and drugs from crossing the frontier.
Canada sends 75% of all goods and services exports to the United States and tariffs would badly hurt the economy.
Continue reading...Yoon Suk Yeol says in late-night address that opposition parties have taken parliamentary process hostage as crowds gather
South Korea’s National Assembly has passed a resolution demanding that the president, Yoon Suk Yeol, revokes his sudden declaration of martial law, leaving the future of his emergency measure unclear as protestors and armed forces gathered in Seoul.
There was jubilation outside the National Assembly building late on Tuesday night where hundreds of people had gathered to witness armed forces enter the building as lawmakers sat in the legislature to hold an emergency session to block Yoon’s sudden declaration.
Continue reading...Brutal killing of Giulia Cecchettin, 22, triggered protests across country and cast grim spotlight on femicide in Italy
Filippo Turetta has been sentenced to life in jail for the murder of Giulia Cecchettin, a university student whose brutal killing cast a grim spotlight on femicide in Italy.
Cecchettin, 22, was stabbed more than 70 times before her body was wrapped in black plastic bags and dumped in a ditch close to a lake north of Venice in November last year. Her murder triggered protests across the country.
Continue reading...Company is at loggerheads with Italian government, which claims it has not invested enough in the country
The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has said her government will try to protect jobs as political tensions mount with Fiat maker Stellantis after the abrupt resignation of its chief executive.
Meloni said she would attempt to “defend” employees in the carmaker’s Italian operations in the wake of the surprise exit of Carlos Tavares, its longstanding chief executive, who left after the company said “different views have emerged” between the executive and its board.
Continue reading...  | submitted by /u/chrisdh79 [link] [comments] |
Market share increases after strong demand within country offsets risks from western tariffs on Chinese-made EVs
China’s share of the global electric vehicle market reached 76% in October, the country’s automotive trade body said, reflecting strong demand for EVs in the country even as western tariffs risk hobbling exports.
Between January and October, sales of EVs reached 14.1m units, according to the China Passenger Car Association, with 69% of those sales in China. In October, China’s share surpassed three-quarters.
Continue reading...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.
Assault on Syria’s second-largest city by Islamist militants may tarnish Russia’s reputation as a global player
The walls of the military office in Aleppo were adorned with pictures of the Kremlin, flanked by Russian and Syrian flags hanging side by side. On the desks, documents detailing the cooperation between the two nations lay abandoned – telltale signs of Bashar al-Assad’s forces’ hasty retreat as rebels closed in on Syria’s second-biggest city over the weekend.
The short clip circulating online was recorded in the office of Russian advisers at Aleppo’s military academy after it was taken by rebels in a surprise offensive. It highlights the escalating threat to the Assad regime and, by extension, to Moscow’s strategic foothold in Syria and the broader region.
Continue reading...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...Stephen Smith says people won’t buy EVs until they can easily access the energy needed to drive them. Raj Parkash thinks every car should be charged using the same mechanism
Gaby Hinsliff’s article (Starmer has discovered a tricky truth about the electric vehicles transition: there’s no gain without pain, 29 November) doesn’t address the key point in the analysis of car companies’ difficulties in selling enough electric vehicles (EVs). There is a lack of demand that is only partly due to the higher prices. More importantly, it is due to a failure to install the necessary infrastructure to enable mass charging.
A minority of car owners live in houses where home charging is possible. For the rest, to make EVs a possibility, never mind attractive, there need to be a huge number of charging points to accommodate millions of people. I live in a city with a very high density of tenement and other flats; at the moment there are virtually no charging points easily accessible for flat owners. In such areas, where it is not possible to install a charger in your home, it is simply not possible to run an EV.
Continue reading...The Baku Cop29 talks were marked by division and self-interest, with rancorous meddling right until the end
When I first visited Azerbaijan this spring, one fixture of the Baku skyline was unmissable. The bright orange of flaring – the product of the oil and gas extraction that makes up 90% of Azerbaijan’s export revenues – lit up the night sky, not far from the Olympic stadium, where nearly 200 nations would gather in November for the Cop29 climate summit.
Flaring burns methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, and is a major source of carbon emissions. If all the world’s flared gas were captured instead, it could power sub-Saharan Africa. But that entails installing new equipment, so producers don’t bother.
Fiona Harvey is an environment editor at the Guardian
Continue reading...Move to exclude fossil fuel firms from investment portfolios follows years of campaigning by staff and students
More than three-quarters of UK universities have pledged to exclude fossil fuel companies from their investment portfolios, according to campaigners.
The move, which is part of a wider drive to limit investment in fossil fuels, follows years of campaigning by staff and students across the higher education sector.
Continue reading...Dave Lewis says the near-constant stream of clean electricity could supply the grid as early as 2030
In the south-west of Morocco, a sprawl of wind and solar farms stretching across an area the size of Greater London could soon generate the green electricity powering more than 9m British homes.
This is the unflinching vision of Sir Dave Lewis, the former Tesco boss who is hoping to build the world’s longest subsea power cable in order to harness north Africa’s renewable energy sources and power Britain’s clean energy agenda.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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: “...
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.
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.
James Howells seeking go-ahead to search for hard drive that was accidentally thrown into landfill in 2013
For more than a decade, a computer expert from Newport in south Wales has doggedly fought to recover £500m of bitcoin he says was accidentally thrown into a council tip.
James Howells’ bid to become extremely rich reached a judge on Tuesday with a team of lawyers arguing that it was still possible to launch a hunt for his missing hard drive containing the bitcoin.
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Imagine a world in which you can do transactions and many other things without having to give your personal information. A world in which you don’t need to rely on banks or governments anymore. Sounds amazing, right? That’s exactly what blockchain technology allows us to do.
It’s like your computer’s hard drive. blockchain is a technology that lets you store data in digital blocks, which are connected together like links in a chain.
Blockchain technology was originally invented in 1991 by two mathematicians, Stuart Haber and W. Scot Stornetta. They first proposed the system to ensure that timestamps could not be tampered with.
A few years later, in 1998, software developer Nick Szabo proposed using a similar kind of technology to secure a digital payments system he called “Bit Gold.” However, this innovation was not adopted until Satoshi Nakamoto claimed to have invented the first Blockchain and Bitcoin.
A blockchain is a distributed database shared between the nodes of a computer network. It saves information in digital format. Many people first heard of blockchain technology when they started to look up information about bitcoin.
Blockchain is used in cryptocurrency systems to ensure secure, decentralized records of transactions.
Blockchain allowed people to guarantee the fidelity and security of a record of data without the need for a third party to ensure accuracy.
To understand how a blockchain works, Consider these basic steps:
Let’s get to know more about the blockchain.
Blockchain records digital information and distributes it across the network without changing it. The information is distributed among many users and stored in an immutable, permanent ledger that can't be changed or destroyed. That's why blockchain is also called "Distributed Ledger Technology" or DLT.
Here’s how it works:
And that’s the beauty of it! The process may seem complicated, but it’s done in minutes with modern technology. And because technology is advancing rapidly, I expect things to move even more quickly than ever.
Even though blockchain is integral to cryptocurrency, it has other applications. For example, blockchain can be used for storing reliable data about transactions. Many people confuse blockchain with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.
Blockchain already being adopted by some big-name companies, such as Walmart, AIG, Siemens, Pfizer, and Unilever. For example, IBM's Food Trust uses blockchain to track food's journey before reaching its final destination.
Although some of you may consider this practice excessive, food suppliers and manufacturers adhere to the policy of tracing their products because bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella have been found in packaged foods. In addition, there have been isolated cases where dangerous allergens such as peanuts have accidentally been introduced into certain products.
Tracing and identifying the sources of an outbreak is a challenging task that can take months or years. Thanks to the Blockchain, however, companies now know exactly where their food has been—so they can trace its location and prevent future outbreaks.
Blockchain technology allows systems to react much faster in the event of a hazard. It also has many other uses in the modern world.
Blockchain technology is safe, even if it’s public. People can access the technology using an internet connection.
Have you ever been in a situation where you had all your data stored at one place and that one secure place got compromised? Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to prevent your data from leaking out even when the security of your storage systems is compromised?
Blockchain technology provides a way of avoiding this situation by using multiple computers at different locations to store information about transactions. If one computer experiences problems with a transaction, it will not affect the other nodes.
Instead, other nodes will use the correct information to cross-reference your incorrect node. This is called “Decentralization,” meaning all the information is stored in multiple places.
Blockchain guarantees your data's authenticity—not just its accuracy, but also its irreversibility. It can also be used to store data that are difficult to register, like legal contracts, state identifications, or a company's product inventory.
Blockchain has many advantages and disadvantages.
I’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about blockchain in this section.
Blockchain is not a cryptocurrency but a technology that makes cryptocurrencies possible. It's a digital ledger that records every transaction seamlessly.
Yes, blockchain can be theoretically hacked, but it is a complicated task to be achieved. A network of users constantly reviews it, which makes hacking the blockchain difficult.
Coinbase Global is currently the biggest blockchain company in the world. The company runs a commendable infrastructure, services, and technology for the digital currency economy.
Blockchain is a decentralized technology. It’s a chain of distributed ledgers connected with nodes. Each node can be any electronic device. Thus, one owns blockhain.
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, which is powered by Blockchain technology while Blockchain is a distributed ledger of cryptocurrency
Generally a database is a collection of data which can be stored and organized using a database management system. The people who have access to the database can view or edit the information stored there. The client-server network architecture is used to implement databases. whereas a blockchain is a growing list of records, called blocks, stored in a distributed system. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, timestamp and transaction information. Modification of data is not allowed due to the design of the blockchain. The technology allows decentralized control and eliminates risks of data modification by other parties.
Blockchain has a wide spectrum of applications and, over the next 5-10 years, we will likely see it being integrated into all sorts of industries. From finance to healthcare, blockchain could revolutionize the way we store and share data. Although there is some hesitation to adopt blockchain systems right now, that won't be the case in 2022-2023 (and even less so in 2026). Once people become more comfortable with the technology and understand how it can work for them, owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs alike will be quick to leverage blockchain technology for their own gain. Hope you like this article if you have any question let me know in the comments section
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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the most popular digital assets today, capturing the attention of cryptocurrency investors, whales and people from around the world. People find it amazing that some users spend thousands or millions of dollars on a single NFT-based image of a monkey or other token, but you can simply take a screenshot for free. So here we share some freuently asked question about NFTs.
NFT stands for non-fungible token, which is a cryptographic token on a blockchain with unique identification codes that distinguish it from other tokens. NFTs are unique and not interchangeable, which means no two NFTs are the same. NFTs can be a unique artwork, GIF, Images, videos, Audio album. in-game items, collectibles etc.
A blockchain is a distributed digital ledger that allows for the secure storage of data. By recording any kind of information—such as bank account transactions, the ownership of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), or Decentralized Finance (DeFi) smart contracts—in one place, and distributing it to many different computers, blockchains ensure that data can’t be manipulated without everyone in the system being aware.
The value of an NFT comes from its ability to be traded freely and securely on the blockchain, which is not possible with other current digital ownership solutionsThe NFT points to its location on the blockchain, but doesn’t necessarily contain the digital property. For example, if you replace one bitcoin with another, you will still have the same thing. If you buy a non-fungible item, such as a movie ticket, it is impossible to replace it with any other movie ticket because each ticket is unique to a specific time and place.
One of the unique characteristics of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is that they can be tokenised to create a digital certificate of ownership that can be bought, sold and traded on the blockchain.
As with crypto-currency, records of who owns what are stored on a ledger that is maintained by thousands of computers around the world. These records can’t be forged because the whole system operates on an open-source network.
NFTs also contain smart contracts—small computer programs that run on the blockchain—that give the artist, for example, a cut of any future sale of the token.
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) aren't cryptocurrencies, but they do use blockchain technology. Many NFTs are based on Ethereum, where the blockchain serves as a ledger for all the transactions related to said NFT and the properties it represents.5) How to make an NFT?
Anyone can create an NFT. All you need is a digital wallet, some ethereum tokens and a connection to an NFT marketplace where you’ll be able to upload and sell your creations
When you purchase a stock in NFT, that purchase is recorded on the blockchain—the bitcoin ledger of transactions—and that entry acts as your proof of ownership.
The value of an NFT varies a lot based on the digital asset up for grabs. People use NFTs to trade and sell digital art, so when creating an NFT, you should consider the popularity of your digital artwork along with historical statistics.
In the year 2021, a digital artist called Pak created an artwork called The Merge. It was sold on the Nifty Gateway NFT market for $91.8 million.
Non-fungible tokens can be used in investment opportunities. One can purchase an NFT and resell it at a profit. Certain NFT marketplaces let sellers of NFTs keep a percentage of the profits from sales of the assets they create.
Many people want to buy NFTs because it lets them support the arts and own something cool from their favorite musicians, brands, and celebrities. NFTs also give artists an opportunity to program in continual royalties if someone buys their work. Galleries see this as a way to reach new buyers interested in art.
There are many places to buy digital assets, like opensea and their policies vary. On top shot, for instance, you sign up for a waitlist that can be thousands of people long. When a digital asset goes on sale, you are occasionally chosen to purchase it.
To mint an NFT token, you must pay some amount of gas fee to process the transaction on the Etherum blockchain, but you can mint your NFT on a different blockchain called Polygon to avoid paying gas fees. This option is available on OpenSea and this simply denotes that your NFT will only be able to trade using Polygon's blockchain and not Etherum's blockchain. Mintable allows you to mint NFTs for free without paying any gas fees.
The answer is no. Non-Fungible Tokens are minted on the blockchain using cryptocurrencies such as Etherum, Solana, Polygon, and so on. Once a Non-Fungible Token is minted, the transaction is recorded on the blockchain and the contract or license is awarded to whoever has that Non-Fungible Token in their wallet.
You can sell your work and creations by attaching a license to it on the blockchain, where its ownership can be transferred. This lets you get exposure without losing full ownership of your work. Some of the most successful projects include Cryptopunks, Bored Ape Yatch Club NFTs, SandBox, World of Women and so on. These NFT projects have gained popularity globally and are owned by celebrities and other successful entrepreneurs. Owning one of these NFTs gives you an automatic ticket to exclusive business meetings and life-changing connections.
That’s a wrap. Hope you guys found this article enlightening. I just answer some question with my limited knowledge about NFTs. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below. Also I have a question for you, Is bitcoin an NFTs? let me know in The comment section below
In the rapidly advancing landscape of AI technology and innovation, LimeWire emerges as a unique platform in the realm of generative AI tools. This platform not only stands out from the multitude of existing AI tools but also brings a fresh approach to content generation. LimeWire not only empowers users to create AI content but also provides creators with creative ways to share and monetize their creations.
As we explore LimeWire, our aim is to uncover its features, benefits for creators, and the exciting possibilities it offers for AI content generation. This platform presents an opportunity for users to harness the power of AI in image creation, all while enjoying the advantages of a free and accessible service.
Let's unravel the distinctive features that set LimeWire apart in the dynamic landscape of AI-powered tools, understanding how creators can leverage its capabilities to craft unique and engaging AI-generated images.
This revamped LimeWire invites users to register and unleash their creativity by crafting original AI content, which can then be shared and showcased on the LimeWire Studio. Notably, even acclaimed artists and musicians, such as Deadmau5, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston, have embraced this platform to publish their content in the form of NFT music, videos, and images.
Beyond providing a space for content creation and sharing, LimeWire introduces monetization models to empower users to earn revenue from their creations. This includes avenues such as earning ad revenue and participating in the burgeoning market of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). As we delve further, we'll explore these monetization strategies in more detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of LimeWire's innovative approach to content creation and distribution.
LimeWire Studio welcomes content creators into its fold, providing a space to craft personalized AI-focused content for sharing with fans and followers. Within this creative hub, every piece of content generated becomes not just a creation but a unique asset—ownable and tradable. Fans have the opportunity to subscribe to creators' pages, immersing themselves in the creative journey and gaining ownership of digital collectibles that hold tradeable value within the LimeWire community. Notably, creators earn a 2.5% royalty each time their content is traded, adding a rewarding element to the creative process.
The platform's flexibility is evident in its content publication options. Creators can choose to share their work freely with the public or opt for a premium subscription model, granting exclusive access to specialized content for subscribers.
As of the present moment, LimeWire focuses on AI Image Generation, offering a spectrum of creative possibilities to its user base. The platform, however, has ambitious plans on the horizon, aiming to broaden its offerings by introducing AI music and video generation tools in the near future. This strategic expansion promises creators even more avenues for expression and engagement with their audience, positioning LimeWire Studio as a dynamic and evolving platform within the realm of AI-powered content creation.
The LimeWire AI image generation tool presents a versatile platform for both the creation and editing of images. Supporting advanced models such as Stable Diffusion 2.1, Stable Diffusion XL, and DALL-E 2, LimeWire offers a sophisticated toolkit for users to delve into the realm of generative AI art.
Much like other tools in the generative AI landscape, LimeWire provides a range of options catering to various levels of complexity in image creation. Users can initiate the creative process with prompts as simple as a few words or opt for more intricate instructions, tailoring the output to their artistic vision.
What sets LimeWire apart is its seamless integration of different AI models and design styles. Users have the flexibility to effortlessly switch between various AI models, exploring diverse design styles such as cinematic, digital art, pixel art, anime, analog film, and more. Each style imparts a distinctive visual identity to the generated AI art, enabling users to explore a broad spectrum of creative possibilities.
The platform also offers additional features, including samplers, allowing users to fine-tune the quality and detail levels of their creations. Customization options and prompt guidance further enhance the user experience, providing a user-friendly interface for both novice and experienced creators.
Excitingly, LimeWire is actively developing its proprietary AI model, signaling ongoing innovation and enhancements to its image generation capabilities. This upcoming addition holds the promise of further expanding the creative horizons for LimeWire users, making it an evolving and dynamic platform within the landscape of AI-driven art and image creation.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
Upon completing your creative endeavor on LimeWire, the platform allows you the option to publish your content. An intriguing feature follows this step: LimeWire automates the process of minting your creation as a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), utilizing either the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. This transformative step imbues your artwork with a unique digital signature, securing its authenticity and ownership in the decentralized realm.
Creators on LimeWire hold the power to decide the accessibility of their NFT creations. By opting for a public release, the content becomes discoverable by anyone, fostering a space for engagement and interaction. Furthermore, this choice opens the avenue for enthusiasts to trade the NFTs, adding a layer of community involvement to the artistic journey.
Alternatively, LimeWire acknowledges the importance of exclusivity. Creators can choose to share their posts exclusively with their premium subscribers. In doing so, the content remains a special offering solely for dedicated fans, creating an intimate and personalized experience within the LimeWire community. This flexibility in sharing options emphasizes LimeWire's commitment to empowering creators with choices in how they connect with their audience and distribute their digital creations.
After creating your content, you can choose to publish the content. It will automatically mint your creation as an NFT on the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. You can also choose whether to make it public or subscriber-only.
If you make it public, anyone can discover your content and even trade the NFTs. If you choose to share the post only with your premium subscribers, it will be exclusive only to your fans.
Additionally, you can earn ad revenue from your content creations as well.
When you publish content on LimeWire, you will receive 70% of all ad revenue from other users who view your images, music, and videos on the platform.
This revenue model will be much more beneficial to designers. You can experiment with the AI image and content generation tools and share your creations while earning a small income on the side.
The revenue you earn from your creations will come in the form of LMWR tokens, LimeWire’s own cryptocurrency.
Your earnings will be paid every month in LMWR, which you can then trade on many popular crypto exchange platforms like Kraken, ByBit, and UniSwap.
You can also use your LMWR tokens to pay for prompts when using LimeWire generative AI tools.
You can sign up to LimeWire to use its AI tools for free. You will receive 10 credits to use and generate up to 20 AI images per day. You will also receive 50% of the ad revenue share. However, you will get more benefits with premium plans.
For $9.99 per month, you will get 1,000 credits per month, up to 2 ,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 50% ad revenue share
For $29 per month, you will get 3750 credits per month, up to 7500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 60% ad revenue share
For $49 per month, you will get 5,000 credits per month, up to 10,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
For $99 per month, you will get 11,250 credits per month, up to 2 2,500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
With all premium plans, you will receive a Pro profile badge, full creation history, faster image generation, and no ads.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
In conclusion, LimeWire emerges as a democratizing force in the creative landscape, providing an inclusive platform where anyone can unleash their artistic potential and effortlessly share their work. With the integration of AI, LimeWire eliminates traditional barriers, empowering designers, musicians, and artists to publish their creations and earn revenue with just a few clicks.
The ongoing commitment of LimeWire to innovation is evident in its plans to enhance generative AI tools with new features and models. The upcoming expansion to include music and video generation tools holds the promise of unlocking even more possibilities for creators. It sparks anticipation about the diverse and innovative ways in which artists will leverage these tools to produce and publish their own unique creations.
For those eager to explore, LimeWire's AI tools are readily accessible for free, providing an opportunity to experiment and delve into the world of generative art. As LimeWire continues to evolve, creators are encouraged to stay tuned for the launch of its forthcoming AI music and video generation tools, promising a future brimming with creative potential and endless artistic exploration
The 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.
Lib Dem proposal is passed by 137 votes to 135 with some Labour backbench support but is unlikely to become law
MPs have voted narrowly in favour of introducing a proportional representation electoral system, in a move that will almost certainly not change the law but is nonetheless a symbolically significant moment for UK politics.
The vote on a Liberal Democrat bill calling for a PR system for UK parliamentary elections and for local elections in England was passed by 137 votes to 135. It is believed to be the first time the Westminster parliament has backed such a plan.
Continue reading...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...
Stephen Feinberg, co-founder and CEO of investment firm Cerberus Capital Management, has been offered key job, media reports say
Notre Dame Cathedral will reopen in Paris on Saturday with incoming US president Donald Trump set to attend the ceremony marking the resurrection of the Gothic masterpiece five years after a devastating fire.
The Republican confirmed Monday he had accepted an invitation from French president Emmanuel Macron to attend the grand re-opening of the 850-year-old edifice which was nearly lost to flames in April 2019.
Continue reading...MPs vote to give leave to bring in private members’ bill on PR but it will have no practical effect
Lord Robertson, the former Labour defence secretary and former Nato secretary who is leading the government’s strategic defence review, is giving evidence to the Commons defence committee. He has told MPs that the Americans are being fully consulted about the review. This is from Shashank Joshi, the Economist’s defence editor.
Listening to George Robertson & Richard Barrons, who are writing the UK’s defence review alongside Fiona Hill, giving evidence to the Commons defence committee. They’re in “constant contact” with allies, Robertson says, and have a US officer on the review team.
Continue reading...ANU study finds Albanese ‘significantly’ more favourable as PM than Dutton and more women undecided on voting intention than men
Just 38% of Australian voters have confidence in the federal government, a level approaching the lows before Scott Morrison was voted out of office in May 2022.
That is one of the key results of an Australian National University study, which nevertheless found the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, had “significantly higher” favourability than Peter Dutton leading into the 2025 election.
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Continue reading...Davies says position ‘untenable’ despite narrowly winning confidence vote, as voter intention poll shows Welsh Tories sliding to fourth place
The leader of the Welsh Tories, Andrew RT Davies, has resigned after dismal UK general election results and concern over comments he has made on subjects ranging from halal meat to the country’s divisive 20mph speed limit law.
Nine members of the Welsh parliament’s Tory group, including Davies himself, backed Davies in a confidence vote on Tuesday while seven were against him.
Continue reading...Dinesh D’Souza admits analysis in film that alleged massive 2020 voter fraud scheme based on ‘inaccurate information’
Conservative film-maker Dinesh D’Souza has issued a rare apology for his controversial documentary 2,000 Mules, a cornerstone of post-2020 election fraud conspiracy theories, but a prominent organization in the election denialism ecosystem is standing behind the film’s false claims.
The film alleged a massive voter fraud scheme involving individuals supposedly stuffing ballot drop boxes with illegal votes. Central to these claims was cell phone geolocation data provided by True the Vote, a Texas-based nonprofit that has become a prominent actor in the election denial ecosystem.
Continue reading...This is another example of a two-tiered justice system that routinely shields the powerful – and punishes the powerless
‘No one is above the law,” Joe Biden tweeted in May. He probably should have added a caveat to that because his own son appears to be floating far above the scales of justice. On Sunday the president issued a “full and unconditional” pardon to his middle child, Hunter, who was facing possible prison time for convictions on gun and tax charges. Biden and his spokespeople had previously insisted – at least seven times – that the president would not pardon his 54-year-old son and Donald Trump is, predictably, having a field day with the U-turn.
A little background for those who haven’t been following the misadventures of Hunter Biden as closely as Republicans have. Despite the fact that, unlike Trump’s children, Hunter has never held a position in Biden’s administration, Republicans are obsessed with the man and have used his problems to attack the president. And Hunter has made this easy: he has a history of dubious business dealings and his struggles with addiction have led to numerous personal scandals that have been disgracefully weaponised. At one point, the Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene showed nude photos of Hunter engaged in sex acts to the House oversight committee.
Continue reading...The prime minister faces scrutiny as voters demand bold action, not recycled policies, to address Britain’s deepening economic and social concerns
Sir Keir Starmer’s reboot is clearly a strategy to win over voters disillusioned with the government’s performance. The prime minister is personally unpopular. Labour’s standing in the polls has sunk after avoidable fights with pensioners and farmers. The public seem unimpressed by Sir Keir’s contradictory stance that Labour faces a worse inheritance than expected, yet his pre-election framing remains unchanged. If the former is true, the latter seems doubtful. Voters expect a government to tackle problems, not lament them. Hence, Sir Keir’s team aims to cast the five “missions” he outlined on the campaign trail into a delivery plan with updated targets.
Sounds familiar? It echoes the approach of the previous prime minister, Rishi Sunak. In January 2023, Mr Sunak attempted to turn the page on Tory chaos by making five ambitious pledges, including cutting NHS waiting lists and “stopping the boats”. He was supposed to be a calm, reassuring figure. Multiple cabinet reshuffles and stunning losses at the ballot box had him, less than a year later, vowing to end the “30-year status quo” in British politics. Voters thought the Tory leader never made good on his promise. In July, he led the Conservatives to the party’s worst-ever election defeat.
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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.
Questions have also been raised over reports the embattled former Fox News host mismanaged two veterans groups
Questions continued to dog Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, on Monday following reports he was twice ousted from previous organisations he led over financial mismanagement and improper behavior, with reporters asking him directly if he had an alcohol problem.
Hegseth, 44, who was visiting Capitol Hill to drum up support for his troubled nomination, did not respond when a journalist asked “Do you have an alcohol problem?” as he arrived for a meeting with Republican senators.
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 prime minister won’t learn charisma, but he has a record of going places by doggedly clearing the obstacles in his way
If Rishi Sunak had clung to power until the very end of the five-year term that Boris Johnson won in 2019, he would still be prime minister today. He had until 28 January next year to hold the election. The equivalent deadline for Keir Starmer is 21 August 2029. That is a horizon beyond the reach of reliable political forecasting, even if the second half of this decade turns out less volatile than the first. More turbulence seems likelier.
But Labour’s majority is much bigger than the one Sunak lost and Starmer’s character contains none of the traits that made Johnson such a wellspring of chaos. With just 121 Tory MPs, Kemi Badenoch will struggle to have much impact in parliament. She must also compete for relevance and attention with Nigel Farage, puffed up on proximity to Donald Trump.
Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading...The tech billionaire is said to be considering giving $100m to Reform UK. That should jolt efforts to cap political donations
It is an inevitable consequence of the inequality inherent to the “special relationship” that, as soon as someone wins the election in the US, the British government has to swallow its objections to anything they do. Donald Trump may have been “a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath” six years ago, but it’s 2024 now and the once and future president has become “a very gracious host” with a soft spot for the royal family. Tech billionaire Elon Musk might compare Keir Starmer’s Britain to Stalin’s Russia but, as long as he’s Trump’s new best friend, “he’s far too important to ignore”.
This kind of toadying must be as embarrassing for the politicians doing it as it is for those of us watching it, but it is at least understandable. Being friends with the US is not just the foundation of our national security policy, it’s pretty much the whole thing.
Continue reading...Survey finds 25 percentage point gender gap across all age brackets on whether nuclear power would be positive for the country, with majority of men saying it would
New data points to a stark gender split in attitudes towards nuclear energy, with women much more likely to say they don’t support it or think the risks are too great.
Research company DemosAu surveyed 6,000 people on behalf of the Australian Conservation Foundation and found 26% of women thought nuclear energy would be good for Australia, compared with 51% of men.
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Continue reading...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.
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...Westminster is so notorious for bad workplace behaviour it’s known as ‘Pestminster’, but politicians seem more worried about a TV cooking show
Why has the prime minister weighed in on the content of a Gregg Wallace Instagram video? News that Keir Starmer’s spokesperson has taken the trouble to denounce the outer monologue of the beleaguered MasterChef host means – somewhat amazingly – that Gregg has no longer said the stupidest thing this week. This is, after all, supposed to be the week of Starmer’s big reset. Pivoting to rent-a-quote somehow does not feel like the solution that a malfunctioning UK requires.
Perhaps Starmer thought it would make him more popular? He is polling at a minus 33% approval rating with the British public, which I would have thought was actually rather lower than Gregg Wallace. Perhaps this is why the No 10 spokesperson felt – wrongly – that it might be the business of a prime minister to have a view on reporters’ questions about what he felt about someone blowing up their career on Insta at 7am on a Sunday. Reporters will always ask these questions, especially on slow news days, but experience shows that there is absolutely no expectation to answer them, let alone a requirement. Wallace has since declared he “wasn’t in a good head space” when he posted the video. One can’t help feeling the PM’s spokesperson should do the same.
Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnist
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Continue reading...Tougher guidance in England and Wales will also prevent convicted stalkers from contacting victims while in prison
Victims of stalking will be given the right to know the identity of the person who is doing it, Jess Phillips, the UK safeguarding minister has said, as part of a wider look at whether legislation connected to the crime is fit for purpose.
Under new guidance from the Home Office, police in England and Wales will be told to inform people if they uncover the identity of a stalker, for example one using a series of anonymous online identities.
Continue reading...Hunter Biden was awaiting sentencing for gun and tax offences when, suddenly, his father pardoned him. Has family loyalty been put above presidential integrity? Chris Michael explains
Joe Biden’s love for his family has long softened his public persona. From his grief at losing his first wife and daughter in a car crash, to the death of his son Beau, the tragedy he endured has been clear. And so has his obvious devotion to his second wife, Jill, and his remaining son, Hunter.
It was in this light – as a doting father keen to protect his son – that the president hopes people will see his sudden decision to grant a pardon to Hunter for gun and federal tax offences. He was due to be sentenced this month. Hunter had become the first child of a sitting president to face a criminal trial and could have spent years in prison.
Continue reading...Big public universities, historically at the forefront of catalyzing activist movements, are now using legal action, disciplinary efforts, and rule changes to chill speech and dissent.
The post How Universities Are Trying to Stop Another Year of Anti-War Activism appeared first on The Intercept.
The White House is trying to disburse last $7bn in aid approved by Congress before Trump begins second term
The Biden administration is rushing military equipment to Ukraine in a last-ditch effort to shore up the country’s defenses against the Russian invasion before Donald Trump assumes the US presidency in January.
The newly announced $725m in assistance will include Stinger anti-air missiles, anti-drone weapons, artillery shells and long-range Himars rocket munitions, and anti-armour missiles, as well as spare parts and other assistance to repair damaged equipment from US stocks, the state department said.
Continue reading...Nana Kwame Bediako is challenging the status quo with an unorthodox run for presidency appealing to younger voters
It was a bombastic statement from the man who wants to disrupt Ghana’s two-party political scene. “I’m here to represent Africa’s greatest hope,” Nana Kwame Bediako told an audience in a Palace of Westminster committee room in central London in October, referring to younger people on the continent.
After the event, a social media post by Bediako suggested the trip had involved a presentation in parliament itself, rather than an address to a committee room.
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.
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.
Sheila Duncan says Labour has to address the problems facing Britain with passion if it wants public support. Plus letters from David Diprose and Maureen Tilford
John Harris raises some important issues in his article (Labour’s big relaunch won’t solve its biggest problem: this government doesn’t speak human, 1 December), but it’s crucial to dig deeper into the relationship between politics and emotion. Politicians like Donald Trump and Nigel Farage are not more “human” than those in the centre or on the left. They just know how to manipulate dark human emotions – fear, anger and resentment – in societies where there is profound inequality, very little taxation of the rich and barely regulated privatisation of all that makes civilised life possible – health services, education, water, energy and transport.
They particularly know how to manipulate resentment – the emotion that underlies fascism – when so many people struggle for survival as they watch the smug satisfaction of those who don’t.
Continue reading...As part of a comprehensive programme of renationalisation, the service will come under public ownership in May
South Western Railway will be the first train operator nationalised under the Labour government, ministers are expected to announce this week.
One of the UK’s biggest commuter services, which operates out of London Waterloo, it will be taken into public hands in May.
Continue reading...Nearly 2 million Mexican Americans, more than half US citizens, were deported without due process during the Great Depression, reminiscent of what is unfolding today
One sunny afternoon in February, a large group of plainclothes federal agents descended on Los Angeles’s La Placita Park, a sanctuary and bustling cultural hub for the city’s growing Mexican diaspora. Wielding guns and batons, they barricaded the park and demanded proof of citizenship or legal residency from the congregants trapped within.
Those who failed to produce papers were arrested. More than 400 people were detained and forced on a train back to Mexico, a place many had never been.
Continue reading...Infected people described as having flu-like symptoms including high fever and severe headaches
An unknown disease killed 143 people in a south-west province of Democratic Republic of the Congo in November, local authorities told Reuters.
Infected people had flu-like symptoms including high fever and severe headaches, Remy Saki, the deputy governor of Kwango province, and Apollinaire Yumba, the provincial minister of health, said on Monday.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Police used discretion to divert just 6.9% of people caught with personal use quantities of drugs from criminal justice system, data shows
A New South Wales government program that gives police discretion to divert people found with small quantities of illicit drugs away from the courts has only been extended to 6.9% of people caught, including just 2.6% of those who are Indigenous.
The major reform by the Minns government came into effect in February this year and was flagged by the attorney general, Michael Daley, as a way to treat drug use as a health issue rather than a criminal one. Yet data obtained from NSW police under freedom of information shows the vast majority of those caught with illegal drugs continue to be criminalised.
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Continue reading...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...Record number of deportees includes children who may have spent most of their lives in the UK
More than 600 Brazilians, including 109 children, have been secretly removed from the UK – on the three largest Home Office deportation charter flights in history – since the Labour government came to power, the Observer has learned.
The Home Office has never before removed any nationality in such large numbers on individual deportation charter flights. It is thought that children have never before been removed on these flights.
Continue reading...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...Coalition of Michel Barnier likely to fall, with Germany in election mode and Trump about to re-enter White House
France is staring into the unknown as the minority government of the prime minister, Michel Barnier, faces near-certain defeat in a no-confidence vote that could dramatically intensify the political crisis in one of the EU’s key member states.
If the vote on Wednesday is carried, Barnier’s administration, which took office only in September, would be the first in France to be ousted with a motion of no confidence since 1962. Its fall, at the hands of the far-right and leftwing parties, would be a significant blow to Europe weeks before Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Continue reading...People waiting in Tapachula by Guatemala border fear Trump’s election could worsen crisis and spur northward flight
Outside the migration office, Tito subtly pointed out the watchful human smugglers leaning against a wall.
They had already tried to sell their services to Tito, who was on his way to the US but, like everyone else there, found himself stuck in Tapachula, a town in southern Mexico that has become a global way station.
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...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.
First report card on 88 providers in government program finds seven needing improvement and five failing on effectiveness
A handful of major employment service providers have failed to adequately support Australians with disabilities in the job market as the federal government hands down its first public report card on the industry.
Of the 88 providers assessed on the disability employment services program in July, 92% were meeting quality expectations while 90% exceeded or met effectiveness expectations.
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Continue reading...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 sport’s list of both immediate and longer-term concerns is even more unsettling than when process started
Brant Dunshea, the British Horseracing Authority’s chief regulatory officer, will take over as the Authority’s “acting” chief executive from 1 January as the search for a permanent replacement for Julie Harrington, the CEO since January 2021, continues, the sport’s governing body said on Tuesday.
Dunshea has been closely associated with many of the sport’s key issues and initiatives since joining the authority in March 2015, including a wide-ranging review of Cheltenham’s Festival meeting in 2018, when six horses suffered fatal injuries, and regular attempts to tighten the rules around the use of the whip.
Continue reading...Woo Won-sik says president Yoon Suk Yeol should lift declaration immediately after vote to block it; troops reportedly starting withdrawal from parliament
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...Yoon Suk Yeol says in late-night address that opposition parties have taken parliamentary process hostage as crowds gather
South Korea’s National Assembly has passed a resolution demanding that the president, Yoon Suk Yeol, revokes his sudden declaration of martial law, leaving the future of his emergency measure unclear as protestors and armed forces gathered in Seoul.
There was jubilation outside the National Assembly building late on Tuesday night where hundreds of people had gathered to witness armed forces enter the building as lawmakers sat in the legislature to hold an emergency session to block Yoon’s sudden declaration.
Continue reading...Company is at loggerheads with Italian government, which claims it has not invested enough in the country
The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has said her government will try to protect jobs as political tensions mount with Fiat maker Stellantis after the abrupt resignation of its chief executive.
Meloni said she would attempt to “defend” employees in the carmaker’s Italian operations in the wake of the surprise exit of Carlos Tavares, its longstanding chief executive, who left after the company said “different views have emerged” between the executive and its board.
Continue reading...Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzy Wrack, Emma Duffy, and Tom Garry to round up the latest international fixtures and more
On today’s podcast: the panel reviews the goalless draw between England and the USA at Wembley. Was Emma Hayes right to feel disappointed? Are the Lionesses lacking firepower in their forward line, and why did it take so long to notice that it didn’t hit Alex Greenwood’s arm?
Also, we look ahead to the Euro 2025 playoff second legs, along with the Lionesses' final game of 2024, as they take on Switzerland.
Continue reading...“Contributing to land theft and unlawful evictions of Palestinians in the West Bank would be a direct violation of the Supply Chain Act.”
The post Palestinians File German Complaint on Media Giant Axel Springer’s Business in Israeli Settlements appeared first on The Intercept.
Paul Thwaite says government’s exit from its stake in bank could come in first half of 2025 and will be a ‘great moment’
The chief executive of NatWest has said the bailed-out bank is on a “fast trajectory to private ownership”, with the government likely to fully exit its stake within the first half of 2025.
Paul Thwaite said it would be a symbolic moment for NatWest Group staff and the wider banking sector, allowing the industry to close another chapter of the fallout from the 2008 banking crash.
Continue reading...What if you could take a pill or a shot that could reduce your blood alcohol level and make you feel better in the morning? That’s the promise of a range of wellness products aiming to be the next big hangover antidote. But what exactly are hangovers, and which methods of preventing them are backed by science? Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dr Sally Adams, an alcohol researcher and associate professor of psychology at the University of Birmingham
Clips: @drinklikecut, @visitourmedia, @thegutgirlie, @settingthebrowlow
Continue reading...Actor and comedian Diane Morgan joins Grace for another helping of Comfort Eating. Diane is best known for playing mockumentary historian Philomena Cunk, droll antihero Liz in the critically acclaimed BBC sitcom Motherland, and Mandy in … Mandy. Diane reveals how she keeps a straight face when asking world experts very silly questions, why she was sacked from her waitressing job, and what happened when she tried to introduce hugging to the Morgan family.
If you liked this episode then have a listen to Grace’s conversations with Aisling Bea, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, and Jamie Demetriou
New episodes of Comfort Eating with Grace Dent will be released every Tuesday
Continue reading...Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Sanny Rudravajhala and George Elek as the Sky Blues get their man and Chris Wilder’s Blades continue their great form
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; Frank Lampard’s Coventry (as we are duty bound to call them) begin with a draw against Cardiff City. The panel debate whether this is a good appointment.
Continue reading...A previously undisclosed email and new documents show the Project Nimbus deal isn’t covered by Google’s general terms of service.
The post Documents Contradict Google’s Claims About Its Project Nimbus Contract With Israel appeared first on The Intercept.
Dave Lewis says the near-constant stream of clean electricity could supply the grid as early as 2030
In the south-west of Morocco, a sprawl of wind and solar farms stretching across an area the size of Greater London could soon generate the green electricity powering more than 9m British homes.
This is the unflinching vision of Sir Dave Lewis, the former Tesco boss who is hoping to build the world’s longest subsea power cable in order to harness north Africa’s renewable energy sources and power Britain’s clean energy agenda.
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.
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.
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.
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...
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'
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In the rapidly advancing landscape of AI technology and innovation, LimeWire emerges as a unique platform in the realm of generative AI tools. This platform not only stands out from the multitude of existing AI tools but also brings a fresh approach to content generation. LimeWire not only empowers users to create AI content but also provides creators with creative ways to share and monetize their creations.
As we explore LimeWire, our aim is to uncover its features, benefits for creators, and the exciting possibilities it offers for AI content generation. This platform presents an opportunity for users to harness the power of AI in image creation, all while enjoying the advantages of a free and accessible service.
Let's unravel the distinctive features that set LimeWire apart in the dynamic landscape of AI-powered tools, understanding how creators can leverage its capabilities to craft unique and engaging AI-generated images.
This revamped LimeWire invites users to register and unleash their creativity by crafting original AI content, which can then be shared and showcased on the LimeWire Studio. Notably, even acclaimed artists and musicians, such as Deadmau5, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston, have embraced this platform to publish their content in the form of NFT music, videos, and images.
Beyond providing a space for content creation and sharing, LimeWire introduces monetization models to empower users to earn revenue from their creations. This includes avenues such as earning ad revenue and participating in the burgeoning market of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). As we delve further, we'll explore these monetization strategies in more detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of LimeWire's innovative approach to content creation and distribution.
LimeWire Studio welcomes content creators into its fold, providing a space to craft personalized AI-focused content for sharing with fans and followers. Within this creative hub, every piece of content generated becomes not just a creation but a unique asset—ownable and tradable. Fans have the opportunity to subscribe to creators' pages, immersing themselves in the creative journey and gaining ownership of digital collectibles that hold tradeable value within the LimeWire community. Notably, creators earn a 2.5% royalty each time their content is traded, adding a rewarding element to the creative process.
The platform's flexibility is evident in its content publication options. Creators can choose to share their work freely with the public or opt for a premium subscription model, granting exclusive access to specialized content for subscribers.
As of the present moment, LimeWire focuses on AI Image Generation, offering a spectrum of creative possibilities to its user base. The platform, however, has ambitious plans on the horizon, aiming to broaden its offerings by introducing AI music and video generation tools in the near future. This strategic expansion promises creators even more avenues for expression and engagement with their audience, positioning LimeWire Studio as a dynamic and evolving platform within the realm of AI-powered content creation.
The LimeWire AI image generation tool presents a versatile platform for both the creation and editing of images. Supporting advanced models such as Stable Diffusion 2.1, Stable Diffusion XL, and DALL-E 2, LimeWire offers a sophisticated toolkit for users to delve into the realm of generative AI art.
Much like other tools in the generative AI landscape, LimeWire provides a range of options catering to various levels of complexity in image creation. Users can initiate the creative process with prompts as simple as a few words or opt for more intricate instructions, tailoring the output to their artistic vision.
What sets LimeWire apart is its seamless integration of different AI models and design styles. Users have the flexibility to effortlessly switch between various AI models, exploring diverse design styles such as cinematic, digital art, pixel art, anime, analog film, and more. Each style imparts a distinctive visual identity to the generated AI art, enabling users to explore a broad spectrum of creative possibilities.
The platform also offers additional features, including samplers, allowing users to fine-tune the quality and detail levels of their creations. Customization options and prompt guidance further enhance the user experience, providing a user-friendly interface for both novice and experienced creators.
Excitingly, LimeWire is actively developing its proprietary AI model, signaling ongoing innovation and enhancements to its image generation capabilities. This upcoming addition holds the promise of further expanding the creative horizons for LimeWire users, making it an evolving and dynamic platform within the landscape of AI-driven art and image creation.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
Upon completing your creative endeavor on LimeWire, the platform allows you the option to publish your content. An intriguing feature follows this step: LimeWire automates the process of minting your creation as a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), utilizing either the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. This transformative step imbues your artwork with a unique digital signature, securing its authenticity and ownership in the decentralized realm.
Creators on LimeWire hold the power to decide the accessibility of their NFT creations. By opting for a public release, the content becomes discoverable by anyone, fostering a space for engagement and interaction. Furthermore, this choice opens the avenue for enthusiasts to trade the NFTs, adding a layer of community involvement to the artistic journey.
Alternatively, LimeWire acknowledges the importance of exclusivity. Creators can choose to share their posts exclusively with their premium subscribers. In doing so, the content remains a special offering solely for dedicated fans, creating an intimate and personalized experience within the LimeWire community. This flexibility in sharing options emphasizes LimeWire's commitment to empowering creators with choices in how they connect with their audience and distribute their digital creations.
After creating your content, you can choose to publish the content. It will automatically mint your creation as an NFT on the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. You can also choose whether to make it public or subscriber-only.
If you make it public, anyone can discover your content and even trade the NFTs. If you choose to share the post only with your premium subscribers, it will be exclusive only to your fans.
Additionally, you can earn ad revenue from your content creations as well.
When you publish content on LimeWire, you will receive 70% of all ad revenue from other users who view your images, music, and videos on the platform.
This revenue model will be much more beneficial to designers. You can experiment with the AI image and content generation tools and share your creations while earning a small income on the side.
The revenue you earn from your creations will come in the form of LMWR tokens, LimeWire’s own cryptocurrency.
Your earnings will be paid every month in LMWR, which you can then trade on many popular crypto exchange platforms like Kraken, ByBit, and UniSwap.
You can also use your LMWR tokens to pay for prompts when using LimeWire generative AI tools.
You can sign up to LimeWire to use its AI tools for free. You will receive 10 credits to use and generate up to 20 AI images per day. You will also receive 50% of the ad revenue share. However, you will get more benefits with premium plans.
For $9.99 per month, you will get 1,000 credits per month, up to 2 ,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 50% ad revenue share
For $29 per month, you will get 3750 credits per month, up to 7500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 60% ad revenue share
For $49 per month, you will get 5,000 credits per month, up to 10,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
For $99 per month, you will get 11,250 credits per month, up to 2 2,500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
With all premium plans, you will receive a Pro profile badge, full creation history, faster image generation, and no ads.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
In conclusion, LimeWire emerges as a democratizing force in the creative landscape, providing an inclusive platform where anyone can unleash their artistic potential and effortlessly share their work. With the integration of AI, LimeWire eliminates traditional barriers, empowering designers, musicians, and artists to publish their creations and earn revenue with just a few clicks.
The ongoing commitment of LimeWire to innovation is evident in its plans to enhance generative AI tools with new features and models. The upcoming expansion to include music and video generation tools holds the promise of unlocking even more possibilities for creators. It sparks anticipation about the diverse and innovative ways in which artists will leverage these tools to produce and publish their own unique creations.
For those eager to explore, LimeWire's AI tools are readily accessible for free, providing an opportunity to experiment and delve into the world of generative art. As LimeWire continues to evolve, creators are encouraged to stay tuned for the launch of its forthcoming AI music and video generation tools, promising a future brimming with creative potential and endless artistic exploration
The 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.
Tell us about your standout stage production of the year – we’ll feature a selection of your favourites
We would like to hear about your favourite theatre shows of 2024. Which play captured your heart? Maybe a dance company moved you? Please briefly explain why (100 words max) by filling in the form below and we will feature a selection of them.
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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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