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The Future of Orion
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Perfect waves at the touch of a button: catching a break at Scotland’s first inland surf resort
Thu, 21 Nov 2024 11:00:47 GMT
Lost Shore Surf Resort near Edinburgh is Europe’s largest wave pool and there are few better places to learn this exhilarating sport
The sun splashes off the lagoon and I shield my eyes to see the wave rushing up behind me. I’m lying on my big foam surfboard in perfect position as it arrives. “Three big paddle strokes to catch the wave,” is what my instructor, Owen, had told me. I do just that, pop up and voilà: I’m surfing, arms out, gliding, grinning, sailing, slipping, falling flat on my face, hard into the water.
I stand back up, unable to suppress a seismic smile and shake myself off like a wet dog. Owen gives me a high five and a few tips on my dodgy footwork, and I paddle back out to try again.
Continue reading...A New Zealand citizen is also ill, while a US citizen has died following a suspected mass poisoning event in the town of Vang Vieng
Melbourne teen Bianca Jones has died from methanol poisoning in a Thai hospital, a week after the Melbourne teen and her best friend fell ill while travelling in neighbouring Laos.
Anthony Albanese confirmed the 19-year-old’s death on Thursday, after her parents travelled to Thailand to be with her.
Continue reading...‘Stoney’ has been worn by everyone from Drake to Keir Starmer, but its position as label of choice on the terraces gets the highest attention score. We talk to its chair and former owner
In a quiet corner of Stone Island’s flagship London store in Soho, the brand’s Italian chair, Carlo Rivetti, is talking about darts. “You see these big fat guys,” says Rivetti, who is sporting whiskers that make him look more like a trawlerman than a fashion magnate. “Pom … pom … pom,” he adds, imitating the noise a dart makes when it hits the board.
Darts is possibly the one British subculture that Rivetti’s brand hasn’t touched: football casuals, rappers, politicians, musicians and athletes have all reached for “Stoney” as it is known in the UK, as a sign of masculine cool. Darts might just be the final frontier.
Continue reading...County Clare’s dramatic shoreline is the backdrop to Loop Head Lighthouse and its two holiday cottages. Binoculars for sea viewing included – but not wifi
We cross a narrow strip of land under vast skies and follow a slim road. It cuts a straight line through the heart of County Clare’s only peninsula – a jagged spearhead-shaped piece of land that dangles downward, like a tail, right into the Atlantic. The landscape tapers as the mouth of the River Shannon appears to the south, and the ocean to the north, until we reach the tip of the spear at what seems to be the very edge of the world; and there it stands, defiant and elevated on an outcrop – Loop Head Lighthouse.
From some point in childhood, my introverted self romanticised the role of a lightkeeper. Maybe it was Robert Eggers’ psychological thriller The Lighthouse (2019) that wreaked havoc with that elysium, but a lightkeeper’s cottage rental offered a flavour of the experience without the carnage.
Continue reading...Poisoning can overload the body with acid, causing vomiting, abdominal pain, unconsciousness and vision loss
Two Australian teenagers are severely ill in hospital in Thailand after experiencing suspected methanol poisoning while travelling in Laos.
The pair are among several foreign nationals to become ill after unknowingly consuming alcoholic drinks containing methanol in the south-east Asian country. Three deaths have reportedly been linked to the mass poisoning.
Continue reading...After Whitehall protest, Labour MPs in rural areas request advice and guidance for farmers over changes in budget
Rural Labour MPs have called on the government to reassure worried farmers, in an attempt to quell the escalating row over inheritance tax on agricultural property.
Thousands of farmers and landowners travelled to Whitehall on Tuesday to protest against the plans, which they say will force family farms to sell up in order to pay the new 20% rate on assets above a £1m threshold.
Continue reading...As the Long Read turns 10 we are raiding the archives to bring you a favourite piece from each year since 2014, with new introductions from the authors.
This week from 2021: Last year, three cryptocurrency enthusiasts bought a cruise ship. They named it the Satoshi, and dreamed of starting a floating libertarian utopia. It didn’t work out. By Sophie Elmhirst
Continue reading...Nine health care workers at UCSF report censorship or punishment for speaking out about human rights for Palestinians — or simply wearing a pin.
The post San Francisco’s Biggest Hospital System: Don’t Talk About Palestine appeared first on The Intercept.
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors. You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
From biking adventures to city breaks, get inspiration for your next break – whether in the UK or further afield – with twice-weekly emails from the Guardian’s travel editors.
You’ll also receive handpicked offers from Guardian Holidays.
Continue reading...This live coverage has ended. Read the latest at the links below:
The Federal Reserve must not remove Wells Fargo’s $1.95tn asset cap until the bank has fixed its risk management and compliance issues, top Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren told the US central bank on Wednesday, reports Reuters.
In a letter to Fed chair, Jerome Powell, and the central bank’s regulatory chief, Michael Barr, Warren said the Fed must reject Wells Fargo reported appeal to have the punishment imposed in 2018 lifted until it “can show that it can properly manage the risks associated with running a large bank”.
Continue reading...Democrats are in disarray. It’s time to name our enemies and assert our demands to build a party that can win.
The post Take Out the Trash: A Proposal to Clean Up the Democratic Party appeared first on The Intercept.
Silicon Valley has successfully rebranded military contracting as a proud national duty for the industry.
The post Trump’s Election Is Also a Win for Tech’s Right-Wing “Warrior Class” appeared first on The Intercept.
Sanders’s resolutions to block arms sales to Israel gained momentum, but ran headlong into White House opposition.
The post Bernie Sanders Lost Vote to Block Arms for Israel, Says U.S. Is “Funding the Starvation of Children in Gaza” appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump campaigned on mass deportations. Now he’s threatening to use the U.S. military to carry them out.
The post “Absolutely Insane”: Pentagon Officials on Trump’s Military Deportation Plan appeared first on The Intercept.
A joint resolution from Sen. Bernie Sanders would block arms sales to Israel. The challenge is convincing Democrats to act.
The post Senators Have a Chance to Halt Weapons Sales to Israel. Will They Take It? appeared first on The Intercept.
RFK Jr has articulated what our Democratic and Republican leaders have largely ignored: our healthcare system is a national disgrace hiding in plain sight
Among the cast of characters poised to join the Trump administration, no one is as exasperating, polarizing or potentially dangerous as Robert F Kennedy Jr. But in a twist that is emblematic of our times, no single nominee has the potential to do as much good for the American people.
Bear with me. RFK Jr has been rightly pilloried for promoting a litany of theories linking vaccines with autism, chemicals in the water supply to gender identity, how people contract Aids and saying the Covid-19 vaccine, which in fact stemmed the deadliest pandemic of our lifetimes, was itself “the deadliest vaccine ever made”. He claimed Covid-19 was meant to target certain ethnic groups, Black people and Caucasians, while sparing Asians and Jewish people.
Continue reading...The Republicans were always the party of big business, but Mr Trump is turning them into a playpen for oligarchs
One person turns up surprisingly often at Donald Trump’s side. Not his No 2, JD Vance, nor his wife, Melania, but another man a quarter-century younger and about $300bn heavier: Elon Musk. The two hunkered down in Mar-a-Lago on the night of the election, celebrating the results. This week they were in Texas, watching Mr Musk’s staff test-launch a spacecraft. During the campaign, Mr Musk personally chipped in $130m, made speeches at rallies and organised campaigns to “get out the vote”. Last week, the world’s richest man was picked by the president-elect to run a new “department of government efficiency”. So close are the pair that Mr Musk dubs himself “First Buddy”.
American politics has always been coiled around money, tight as a vine around a trunk. Nearly 25 years ago, George W Bush joked at a swanky white-tie dinner: “Some people call you the elites; I call you my base.” Nor is it confined to the right wing. Of the two main candidates in this month’s election, more billionaires backed Kamala Harris. One result is a highly warped politics that works against the very people it urges to go out and vote.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...Nine health care workers at UCSF report censorship or punishment for speaking out about human rights for Palestinians — or simply wearing a pin.
The post San Francisco’s Biggest Hospital System: Don’t Talk About Palestine appeared first on The Intercept.
Dozens of Democrats still support the bill — giving the Republican-controlled House plenty of breathing room to pass it next week.
The post House GOP Moves to Ram Through Bill That Gives Trump Unilateral Power to Kill Nonprofits appeared first on The Intercept.
A breakaway party of Labour leftists would only benefit the far right, warns Dr Anthony Isaacs. Plus letters from Andrew Shepherd, David Howard and Bruce Henderson
Andy Beckett correctly concludes that there is political space to the left of the Labour party (Meet the groups trying to create a new leftwing party – and channel the energy missing from Starmer’s Labour, 15 November). The question is whether there is electoral space. He notes the succession of new leftwing parties over the past 30 years, a few of which had some short-lived success, though the history of splits on the left goes back more than a century.
Nor is disillusion with Labour in power a recent phenomenon. The Guardian’s own Richard Gott stood for the Radical Alliance in the 1966 North Hull byelection. This was a chance to make a significant impact in a Labour marginal, with increasing opposition to the Vietnam war and the Wilson government’s majority hanging by a thread. In the event, there was a major swing to Labour, Gott taking less than 1% of the vote.
Continue reading...In new videos, Vice editor-in-chief Shane Smith treats immigrants as a problem and apologizes to Elon Musk for past coverage.
The post Vice’s Hard-Right Turn to Trumpism appeared first on The Intercept.
Whisky and migration thwarted earlier deal but UK PM hopeful of reaching agreement with Narendra Modi
Keir Starmer is to restart the aborted UK-India trade talks in the new year after an agreement stalled amid disagreements over whisky tariffs and migration.
No progress has been made on the deal since early this year after the last round of talks concluded. As prime minister, Boris Johnson promised a swift deal, but Rishi Sunak was said to be deeply uneasy with some of the provisions that had been negotiated by his predecessor. Talks were put on hold in March while both countries prepared for general elections.
Continue reading...Progressives in Congress are urging party leaders to use their two remaining months in power to erect barriers to Trump’s agenda.
The post Squad Goals: Democrats Must Use Lame-Duck Power to Fight Trump Now appeared first on The Intercept.
Reports of the criminal justice reform movement’s death are greatly exaggerated.
The post Elon Musk Quietly Tried to Oust a Reform DA. Here’s Why He Failed. appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump’s pick for attorney general shows that loyalty is the only qualification that matters.
The post Matt Gaetz Is Barely a Lawyer appeared first on The Intercept.
Panel met but failed to reach decision on releasing report. Plus, Senate rejects Bernie Sanders’ efforts to block arms sales to Israel
Good morning.
The House ethics committee was deadlocked on releasing a report examining allegations of sexual misconduct against Matt Gaetz, the former Republican representative and Donald Trump’s choice to lead the justice department, after the panel met behind closed doors on Wednesday.
How did the committee split? Susan Wild, the top Democratic representative on the ethics committee, said the committee, which is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, broke along party lines and could not reach a decision.
How many children in Gaza need support? According to the UN children’s aid agency, Unicef, there are an estimated 2,500 children in Gaza in urgent need of medical treatment they cannot receive in the territory, where most health infrastructure has been destroyed over the past 14 months of war. It said children were being evacuated from Gaza at a rate of fewer than one a day.
Continue reading...A violent, white supremacist regime is coming, but there is room to organize — and capture the backlash when it fails.
The post How to Fortify Against the Trump Agenda While There’s Still Time appeared first on The Intercept.
The fate of the new “click-to-cancel” rule will show whether some Republicans are serious about cracking down on anti-competitive practices.
The post The Looming GOP Battle Over Whether You Have to Go to Hell and Back to Cancel Amazon Prime appeared first on The Intercept.
Prime minister says Tory leader’s attacks on climate targets diminishes government ability to tackle central issue
British prime minister Keir Starmer says he is “deeply saddened” to hear that Prescott has died, and called him a “true giant of Labour”.
In a statement on X, he said, “I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of John Prescott. John was a true giant of the Labour movement. On behalf of the Labour Party, I send my condolences to Pauline and his family, to the city of Hull, and to all those who knew and loved him. May he rest in peace.”
He possessed an inherent ability to connect with people about the issues that mattered to them – a talent that others spend years studying and cultivating, but that was second nature to him.
He fought like hell to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol and was an unwavering champion of climate action for decades to come. I’m forever grateful to John for that commitment to solving the climate crisis and will miss him as a dear friend.”
Continue reading...Perth businessman tells AGM he made ‘error in judgment’ as company’s executive pay plans are voted down
Embattled mining billionaire Chris Ellison has told shareholders he can’t stress enough “how much I hate what I’ve done” after a series of scandals engulfed the company he leads, Mineral Resources.
The Perth businessman has previously acknowledged he failed to disclose revenue generated by overseas entities to tax authorities earlier in his career. A company investigation later found he had also used business resources for his personal benefit.
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Continue reading...Thousands of farmers descended on Westminster this week, to protest against changes made in last month’s budget over inheritance tax. The government claim that this will affect a small minority of farms. But with slim profits and many farmers saying it will spell the end of their businesses, has the government got it wrong? The Guardian’s John Harris speaks to some of those protesting against the changes, and environmental correspondent Helena Horton
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Continue reading...From long-range missiles being launched to North Korean troops being drafted in, Dan Sabbagh looks at whether the rapid escalation could signal the beginning of the end of the conflict
Tuesday marked 1,000 days of the Ukraine war – a conflict that for months had seemingly no end in sight. Russia has been advancing, but its progress has been grindingly slow, with Ukraine’s resistance struggling with a lack of weapons and aid. Both sides have had problems with morale and recruitment.
Over the past week, things have changed. Russia has drafted in North Korean troops, while Ukraine has hit Russia with long-range missiles provided by the US. Dan Sabbagh is in Ukraine and explains how hits to the energy grid could make the difference on the ground, and how important the use of North Korean troops could be given the lack of willing Russian conscripts.
Continue reading...The letter urges President Joe Biden to follow through on an ultimatum his administration issued to Israel over humanitarian aid.
The post White House Staffers to Biden: “You Are Running Out of Time” on Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.
Moves to advance three resolutions, which would have halted recent sale of $20bn in US weapons to Israel, all failed
The US Senate has blocked legislation that would have halted the sale of some US weapons to Israel, which had been introduced out of concern about the human rights catastrophe faced by Palestinians in Gaza.
Senator Bernie Sanders had introduced what are called joint resolutions of disapproval, seeking to block the Biden administration’s recent sale of $20bn in US weapons to Israel.
Continue reading...Tom Homan, Trump’s former acting ICE director who contributed to Project 2025, will be “border czar” in the next administration.
The post Trump’s Family Separation Czar Is Back appeared first on The Intercept.
In the face of a second Trump term, the left must cultivate a politics of everyday life that goes beyond voting, says columnist Natasha Lennard.
The post Radical Action Under Trump appeared first on The Intercept.
John Prescott, who has died at 86, served as deputy prime minister for more than a decade under Tony Blair, and was seen as a custodian of the Labour party’s traditional values in the face of a modernising leadership. Blair and Gordon Brown led tributes, with Blair telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was 'one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics'
Continue reading...We would like to hear your memories of John Prescott – whether you met him, or appreciated his work in politics
John Prescott, former British deputy prime minister, has died aged 86. Prescott was a former trade union activist and a significant figure of the New Labour movement. Prescott served as deputy prime minister under Blair, and was seen as a custodian of the Labour party’s traditional values in the face of a modernising leadership.
We would like to hear your tributes and memories of John Prescott – whether you met him, or appreciated the work he did in politics.
Continue reading...Debt interest payments push public finances deeper into the red in fresh blow to Rachel Reeves
The UK government borrowed more than expected in October as debt interest payments pushed the public finances deeper into the red, piling pressure on Rachel Reeves as she attempts to grow the economy.
Borrowing rose to £17.4bn last month, the second highest October figure since monthly records began in 1993.
City economists had expected a smaller figure, of about £12.3bn for October, after the UK borrowed more than £16bn in September.
Former trade union activist who had Alzheimer's died peacefully at care home, says family
John Prescott, the former British deputy prime minister and stalwart of the New Labour movement, has died aged 86.
Tony Blair and Gordon Brown led tributes on Thursday to Prescott, who had Alzheimer’s, after his family announced he had died peacefully at a care home.
Continue reading...Four-day exclusion zone an improper use of Marine Safety Act, judge rules, despite ‘skilful’ submission from transport minister Jo Haylen
The New South Wales supreme court has set aside a Minns government decision to cut off access to Newcastle harbour to try to prevent a four-day climate protest.
The court found the notice was invalid after hearing an urgent application from climate activist organisation Rising Tide on Thursday.
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Continue reading...The chancellor is said to have ‘rounded up’ her years of service. But if she did plump up her working achievements a bit, who hasn’t?
There are lies, evasions and manipulations by politicians that, when they come to light, can make the politician in question seem even less relatable than the average. (So many to choose from, but I’m thinking in particular of Boris Johnson’s weird ad-hoc claim to relax by making models of buses). And then there are the exaggerations that can make a politician seem mildly more human, one of which, I would suggest, is CV inflation – the tweaking of one’s professional details to look better than they actually are. Didn’t Rachel Reeves spend “a decade” working at the Bank of England in the same way that, in our resumes, we are all at some level fluent in French?
The exact breakdown of how Reeves spent her working life in her 20s and 30s has, over the past week or so, been pored over by journalists looking for inconsistencies after it emerged that she may have rounded up somewhat in the details. According to the website Guido Fawkes, when Reeves claimed to have worked as an “economist” at the Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) straight out of university, she had, in fact, been in an administrative role that mainly managed complaints and small projects. After more digging, the website claimed that Reeves, possibly alerted to the fact that she’d been busted, changed her LinkedIn profile so that “economist” became “retail banking”. Then the Telegraph piled in asserting that Reeves’s claim to have spent “a decade” at the Bank of England was actually more like six years. (It was also later suggested on X that one of those years was spent studying for a masters at LSE).
Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...The former British deputy prime minister John Prescott has died aged 86. His family said he ‘spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment’
Continue reading...This blog is now closed
New South Wales MPs condemned for ‘part-time’ parliamentary year
Scores of NSW MPs will earn the equivalent of more than $10,000 per sitting week in 2025 after a bid to increase the year’s 16-week calendar was rejected, AAP reports.
To do this, government MPs have to turn up to parliament and discuss matters. Voters won’t be happy that government MPs would prefer to hide in their electorate offices rather than turning up to parliament, where they face scrutiny.
Continue reading...From the niqab reimagined as a luxury brand good to the plights of female boxers in Lagos, this year’s festival mixes politics with panache
Continue reading...NSW government caves to rail union demands to prevent workers striking
A chaotic two-day shutdown of Sydney’s train network has been averted at the 11th hour after the state government caved to rail union demands to run 24-hour services to prevent workers striking.
However, the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has warned that despite securing a two-week hiatus on industrial action amid tense negotiations with rail unions over a new pay deal, there is no guarantee that the threat of a city-wide rail shutdown will not recur in a fortnight.
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Continue reading...Extreme heat expected to hit much of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and inland NSW as central Queensland braces for flooding
Much of Australia’s east coast will swelter through heatwave conditions this weekend with temperatures set to soar to up to 12C above average, while central Queensland braces for flash flooding after days of soaking rain.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe heatwave warning for much of Victoria and New South Wales stretching out into the weekend, with temperatures expected to top 36C on Friday and Saturday in Melbourne.
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Continue reading...Relatives of those killed in 1974 attack urge government on its 50th anniversary to set up statutory inquiry
Relatives of the victims of the Birmingham pub bombings have said “England’s biggest unsolved mass murder of the 20th century” should be at the top of the government’s list as they renewed their calls for a public inquiry on the 50th anniversary of the atrocity.
On 21 November 1974, 21 people were killed and 220 injured when bombs exploded in two Birmingham pubs, in an attack widely believed to have been orchestrated by the Provisional IRA.
Continue reading...At least 17 state agencies to be created or overhauled, a challenge the IfG says will require major investment
Labour is creating or overhauling at least 17 public bodies, a move which is likely to come with high costs, an Institute for Government report has found.
Launching a new “tracker” of public bodies, the thinktank warned of some of the pitfalls when setting up government agencies from scratch, saying: “Successfully creating a new public body is difficult and entails high fixed costs in terms of time, budget and leadership focus.”
Continue reading...I personally resent being excluded from protection against monetised fear, anger and toxicity
The Australian government has proposed a ban on social media for all citizens under 16. Citing the success of recently introduced restrictions on mobile phones in Australian schools, the prime minister announced the ban by declaring that it’s “doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it”.
Yes, the American Psychological Association has found that teens with the highest social media use rate their overall mental health as poor or very poor. Yes, research from the University of Cambridge shows that social media does not mitigate adolescent feelings of loneliness or isolation overall – rather, reports suggest online exposure can increase the prevalence of suicidal thoughts in the young. We’ve known for years social media use is related to poor body image and negative self-esteem, and encourages addictive behaviours. Locally, we’re confronting toxic online influencer culture mobilising kids to harass and abuse their teachers. Cyberbullying, cyberstalking, catfishing, dog piling, trolling, deepfake porn and doxing exist as concepts because social media culture has spawned them.
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Continue reading...Storm Shadow missile attack comes day after Kyiv used US-supplied long-range weapons to strike within Russia
Ukraine has fired UK-made Storm Shadow missiles into Russia for the first time since the beginning of the conflict, multiple sources have told the Guardian.
The decision to approve the strikes was made in response to the deployment of more than 10,000 North Korean troops on Russia’s border with Ukraine, which UK and US officials warned was a significant escalation of the near three-year conflict.
Continue reading...Cheap, better-run public transport can transform people’s everyday lives. The government should be more ambitious in its plans to deliver it
Six years ago, when Jeremy Corbyn focused on failing bus services during prime minister’s questions, the then leader of the Labour opposition was greeted with mirth and derision. Tory backbenchers amused themselves with shouts of “Taxi!”, as Mr Corbyn urged Theresa May to give metro mayors the powers to take the industry back under public control. To a certain kind of Westminster mind, buses were far too parochial a concern to warrant the political centre-stage. But Mr Corbyn proved to be on the right side of history.
By January 2025, all of Greater Manchester’s bus services will be part of the publicly run Bee Network. Since launching two years ago – after lengthy legal battles in which the private sector fought re-regulation tooth and nail – the franchise model has delivered impressively on mayor Andy Burnham’s vision of a low-fare, high-patronage service for the region. A buses bill soon to be introduced by Louise Haigh, the transport secretary, will give local authorities across England new powers to follow suit. Plans are already under way to replicate the approach in Liverpool City Region and West Yorkshire.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...Communities on Paraná River fear privatisation of waterway operations will destroy way of life
River communities in Argentina fear that Javier Milei’s plans to privatise operations on a key shipping route could lead to environmental damage and destroy their way of life.
Since taking office almost a year ago, the self-styled “anarcho-capitalist” president has pledged to privatise a number of the state’s assets. The latest is the Paraguay-Paraná waterway – a shipping route of strategic importance for Argentina and its neighbours.
Continue reading...After Whitehall protest, Labour MPs in rural areas request advice and guidance for farmers over changes in budget
Rural Labour MPs have called on the government to reassure worried farmers, in an attempt to quell the escalating row over inheritance tax on agricultural property.
Thousands of farmers and landowners travelled to Whitehall on Tuesday to protest against the plans, which they say will force family farms to sell up in order to pay the new 20% rate on assets above a £1m threshold.
Continue reading...Peter Riddle says the government has been pretending that it can rebuild essential services without having the courage to introduce the necessary tax regime. Plus a letter from Chris Taylor
John Harris does speak an uncomfortable truth when he says that unless Labour significantly increases financial support for local authorities, the impact of austerity will continue to grind down local communities (The streetlights going out over Britain tell a brutal story: austerity isn’t over – it’s getting worse, 17 November). Fourteen years of Conservative budget cuts have resulted in my own local authority plummeting from being one of the highest-performing “beacon” authorities in England to one that is now in debt and heading towards the bottom rung of the ladder.
The closure of children’s centres, care homes and budget cuts in every service area, from special needs education and social care to library services, have resulted in a threadbare support network locally. This is being replicated across the country.
Continue reading...  | submitted by /u/satisfiedfools [link] [comments] |
Diane Abbott and the Conservative Sir Edward Leigh, mother and father of the House, say law has been rushed
Britain’s longest-serving MPs, Labour’s Diane Abbott and the Conservative Sir Edward Leigh, have issued a joint call urging the Commons to reject the assisted dying bill, arguing it is being rushed through and puts vulnerable people at risk.
Writing for the Guardian, Abbott and Leigh – the mother and father of the house – said there had been insufficient scrutiny of the law and urged parliament to instead focus on better health and care services.
Continue reading...Amid a protest in central London on Tuesday against changes to inheritance tax announced by Labour, the Guardian discovered a mistrust of politicians, fear over the future of UK farming and suspicion of Bill Gates
Continue reading...As the Long Read turns 10 we are raiding the archives to bring you a favourite piece from each year since 2014, with new introductions from the authors.
This week from 2021: Last year, three cryptocurrency enthusiasts bought a cruise ship. They named it the Satoshi, and dreamed of starting a floating libertarian utopia. It didn’t work out. By Sophie Elmhirst
Continue reading...The fights over Gaza protests are playing out online, in campus quads, internal disciplinary proceedings, and in the courts.
The post From Campus to the Courts, the “Palestine Exception” Rules University Crackdowns appeared first on The Intercept.
I get Kennedy’s appeal, but Trump will undo the protections with the most direct, proven impact on our health.
The post RFK Jr. Talks About Public Health, but He’s Joining an Administration That’ll Make Us Sicker Than Ever appeared first on The Intercept.
The eight-year conflict between the country’s French- and English-speaking populations has its roots in the colonial past and modern injustice
Two plants sprouting from the rusty-red soil mark the grave behind the family’s mud house in the Mokwebu neighbourhood of Bamenda, capital of Cameroon’s embattled north-west. Morine Ngum’s husband, Calistus Nche, was killed in 2022 by soldiers of the country’s francophone-dominated government in a civil war he had joined four years earlier.
Calistus Nche, a separatist fighter shot by government troops in Bamenda in 2022. Photograph: Morine Ngum
Continue reading...  | submitted by /u/chrisdh79 [link] [comments] |
Fine Gael is seeking an unprecedented fourth successive term in office and could well achieve it on 29 November
Ireland’s voters go to the polls on Friday 29 November, three weeks after the prime minister, Simon Harris, ended months of speculation by dissolving the coalition government before the end of its five-year term in March next year.
Harris’s centre-right Fine Gael is seeking an unprecedented fourth successive term in office, a prospect that looks far from impossible given its recent dramatic recovery in the polls – and the equally dramatic collapse in support for its rival, Sinn Féin.
Continue reading...The House nixed a bill empowering the Treasury Department to revoke nonprofits’ tax-exempt status over alleged ties to “terror.”
The post Lawmakers Reject Bill That Would Let Trump Destroy Nonprofits appeared first on The Intercept.
Ofwat uses new powers to ensure customer funds are not used for bonuses at Thames, Yorkshire, and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
Investors at Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water will be forced to pick up the tab for executive bonuses after the water regulator determined that the sector had awarded “undeserved” extra payments worth £6.8m.
Ofwat said on Thursday that it had used new powers to ensure shareholders and bondholders at the three companies paid for bonuses because they had not “adequately reflected overall company performance issues”.
Continue reading...A drag artist from a strict Muslim family embarks on a relationship with a strait-laced executive in Amrou Al-Kadhi’s strong feature debut
British-Iraqi drag artist and film-maker Amrou Al-Kadhi makes a strong feature debut with this coming-of-age dramedy of queer identity, which is heartfelt if slightly glib. It is well acted and fervent in its sympathy for the protagonist, though finally dismissive about the flawed person with whom that protagonist falls painfully in love. But perhaps survival and self-affirmation means dismissing those who are holding you back.
Bilal Hasna plays drag artist Layla, formerly (dead)named Latif, whose strict Muslim family is unaware of this vocation, although Layla’s affectionate and unjudging sister Fatima (Sarah Agha) picks up on something in the way that Layla dances at her wedding party. Layla’s lowest moment comes during a special daytime show with other queer performers at a corporation which wants to Pridewash its brand. The show ends in chaotic catastrophe, but Layla locks eyes with suit-wearing, straight-acting employee Max (Louis Greatorex), who impulsively bunks off work to come with Layla to a club, and soon they are having a passionate but secret affair.
Continue reading...Science editor Ian Sample joins host Madeleine Finlay to discuss some of the most intriguing science stories of the week. From a study finding that fat cells ‘remembering’ past obesity drives yo-yo dieting, to concerning developments in the bird flu virus, and research pinpointing which parts of the UK are best at spotting fake accents
Clips: RTE, BBC, Global News
Can you spot a fake accent? Take part in a new study from Cambridge University
Continue reading...Watchdog’s highly critical inquiry finds Hannah and Colin Ingram-Moore culpable of ‘serious and repeated’ misconduct
The family of the NHS charities fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore personally benefited from the charity set up in his name through a series of lucrative deals worth more than £1m, the charities watchdog has ruled in a highly critical report.
A Charity Commission inquiry concluded the late Captain Tom’s daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband, Colin Ingram-Moore, were culpable of “serious and repeated” instances of misconduct, mismanagement and failures of integrity.
Hannah Ingram-Moore “initiated the process to secure her appointment as chief executive” of the charity, suggesting she should be paid a salary of £150,000. The charity proposed paying her £100,000 but this was blocked by the commission and she was eventually hired on £85,000.
Hannah Ingram-Moore received £18,000 from Virgin Media in September 2021 to judge its Local Legends awards when she was chief executive of the foundation. This was unauthorised and a conflict of interest, and there was no evidence it was undertaken, as she claimed, in a personal capacity.
The Ingram-Moores used the charity’s name inappropriately and for their private benefit in a planning application to build a private spa pool in the grounds of their family home. The building was subsequently demolished.
Continue reading...Council in Yukon territory deadlocked, citing the crown’s tarnished relations with Indigenous peoples in the region
The council of a town in Canada’s Yukon territory has been locked for weeks in bureaucratic standstill after its members refused to swear a mandatory oath of allegiance to King Charles, citing the crown’s tarnished relations with Indigenous peoples in the region.
The standoff, which threatens to cost them their seats, reflects a complicated view of the country’s head of state, who lives thousands of miles away, and increasingly serves as a reminder to a history of violence and broken promises
Continue reading...Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Paul Watson, Ewan Murray and Ben Fisher to round off the latest international break as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all finish strongly
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: we begin with the news that Pep Guardiola has agreed a one-year contract extension at Manchester City before moving on to talk about promotion for Wales in the Nations League, with manager Craig Bellamy remaining unbeaten as they thrashed Iceland 4-1.
Continue reading...Gisèle Pelicot waived her anonymity to put drug-facilitated rape in the spotlight, and her experiences of sexual violence have shocked the world. So what else do we know about this most hidden of crimes?
A magistrate and HR executive in her late 50s, settled, single, not dating or sexually active, Jo felt that her risk of becoming a victim of rape had passed, or was certainly low – and that drug-facilitated rape in particular was something that happened to young people, in clubs, at parties, “on the apps”. When it happened to her two years ago, it was her adult son who had to make sense of it, and explain why she’d woken up naked beside a man she had no feelings for, blood on the bed, pain between her legs, her memory of that night a blank space.
Her rapist was someone she had known since secondary school, a former classmate who, until that week in November 2022, she hadn’t seen since their final A-level. At some point, he had emigrated and then connected with Jo (not her real name) through Friends Reunited. They messaged once a year around their birthdays, which were close together. That was the only contact they had until he got in touch to say he was back visiting family, and how about a coffee?
Continue reading...Group were held after a meeting about what mining firm referred to as unsubstantiated claims regarding taxes and levies
An Australian goldmining company has agreed to pay $160m ($A247m, £126m) to Mali’s government after the west African country’s junta detained its chief executive and two other employees.
Resolute Mining’s chief executive, Terence Holohan, and the other two employees were detained on 8 November in Mali’s capital, Bamako, at the end of a meeting with government officials over tax and other state claims that the miner had previously said were “unsubstantiated”.
Continue reading...The Biden administration will continue to arm Israel — even after it failed to meet the U.S. deadline on allowing aid into Gaza.
The post “A Final, Deadly Exclamation Point”: Biden Backs Down on 30-Day Israel Arms Ultimatum appeared first on The Intercept.
In the rapidly advancing landscape of AI technology and innovation, LimeWire emerges as a unique platform in the realm of generative AI tools. This platform not only stands out from the multitude of existing AI tools but also brings a fresh approach to content generation. LimeWire not only empowers users to create AI content but also provides creators with creative ways to share and monetize their creations.
As we explore LimeWire, our aim is to uncover its features, benefits for creators, and the exciting possibilities it offers for AI content generation. This platform presents an opportunity for users to harness the power of AI in image creation, all while enjoying the advantages of a free and accessible service.
Let's unravel the distinctive features that set LimeWire apart in the dynamic landscape of AI-powered tools, understanding how creators can leverage its capabilities to craft unique and engaging AI-generated images.
This revamped LimeWire invites users to register and unleash their creativity by crafting original AI content, which can then be shared and showcased on the LimeWire Studio. Notably, even acclaimed artists and musicians, such as Deadmau5, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston, have embraced this platform to publish their content in the form of NFT music, videos, and images.
Beyond providing a space for content creation and sharing, LimeWire introduces monetization models to empower users to earn revenue from their creations. This includes avenues such as earning ad revenue and participating in the burgeoning market of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). As we delve further, we'll explore these monetization strategies in more detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of LimeWire's innovative approach to content creation and distribution.
LimeWire Studio welcomes content creators into its fold, providing a space to craft personalized AI-focused content for sharing with fans and followers. Within this creative hub, every piece of content generated becomes not just a creation but a unique asset—ownable and tradable. Fans have the opportunity to subscribe to creators' pages, immersing themselves in the creative journey and gaining ownership of digital collectibles that hold tradeable value within the LimeWire community. Notably, creators earn a 2.5% royalty each time their content is traded, adding a rewarding element to the creative process.
The platform's flexibility is evident in its content publication options. Creators can choose to share their work freely with the public or opt for a premium subscription model, granting exclusive access to specialized content for subscribers.
As of the present moment, LimeWire focuses on AI Image Generation, offering a spectrum of creative possibilities to its user base. The platform, however, has ambitious plans on the horizon, aiming to broaden its offerings by introducing AI music and video generation tools in the near future. This strategic expansion promises creators even more avenues for expression and engagement with their audience, positioning LimeWire Studio as a dynamic and evolving platform within the realm of AI-powered content creation.
The LimeWire AI image generation tool presents a versatile platform for both the creation and editing of images. Supporting advanced models such as Stable Diffusion 2.1, Stable Diffusion XL, and DALL-E 2, LimeWire offers a sophisticated toolkit for users to delve into the realm of generative AI art.
Much like other tools in the generative AI landscape, LimeWire provides a range of options catering to various levels of complexity in image creation. Users can initiate the creative process with prompts as simple as a few words or opt for more intricate instructions, tailoring the output to their artistic vision.
What sets LimeWire apart is its seamless integration of different AI models and design styles. Users have the flexibility to effortlessly switch between various AI models, exploring diverse design styles such as cinematic, digital art, pixel art, anime, analog film, and more. Each style imparts a distinctive visual identity to the generated AI art, enabling users to explore a broad spectrum of creative possibilities.
The platform also offers additional features, including samplers, allowing users to fine-tune the quality and detail levels of their creations. Customization options and prompt guidance further enhance the user experience, providing a user-friendly interface for both novice and experienced creators.
Excitingly, LimeWire is actively developing its proprietary AI model, signaling ongoing innovation and enhancements to its image generation capabilities. This upcoming addition holds the promise of further expanding the creative horizons for LimeWire users, making it an evolving and dynamic platform within the landscape of AI-driven art and image creation.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
Upon completing your creative endeavor on LimeWire, the platform allows you the option to publish your content. An intriguing feature follows this step: LimeWire automates the process of minting your creation as a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), utilizing either the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. This transformative step imbues your artwork with a unique digital signature, securing its authenticity and ownership in the decentralized realm.
Creators on LimeWire hold the power to decide the accessibility of their NFT creations. By opting for a public release, the content becomes discoverable by anyone, fostering a space for engagement and interaction. Furthermore, this choice opens the avenue for enthusiasts to trade the NFTs, adding a layer of community involvement to the artistic journey.
Alternatively, LimeWire acknowledges the importance of exclusivity. Creators can choose to share their posts exclusively with their premium subscribers. In doing so, the content remains a special offering solely for dedicated fans, creating an intimate and personalized experience within the LimeWire community. This flexibility in sharing options emphasizes LimeWire's commitment to empowering creators with choices in how they connect with their audience and distribute their digital creations.
After creating your content, you can choose to publish the content. It will automatically mint your creation as an NFT on the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. You can also choose whether to make it public or subscriber-only.
If you make it public, anyone can discover your content and even trade the NFTs. If you choose to share the post only with your premium subscribers, it will be exclusive only to your fans.
Additionally, you can earn ad revenue from your content creations as well.
When you publish content on LimeWire, you will receive 70% of all ad revenue from other users who view your images, music, and videos on the platform.
This revenue model will be much more beneficial to designers. You can experiment with the AI image and content generation tools and share your creations while earning a small income on the side.
The revenue you earn from your creations will come in the form of LMWR tokens, LimeWire’s own cryptocurrency.
Your earnings will be paid every month in LMWR, which you can then trade on many popular crypto exchange platforms like Kraken, ByBit, and UniSwap.
You can also use your LMWR tokens to pay for prompts when using LimeWire generative AI tools.
You can sign up to LimeWire to use its AI tools for free. You will receive 10 credits to use and generate up to 20 AI images per day. You will also receive 50% of the ad revenue share. However, you will get more benefits with premium plans.
For $9.99 per month, you will get 1,000 credits per month, up to 2 ,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 50% ad revenue share
For $29 per month, you will get 3750 credits per month, up to 7500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 60% ad revenue share
For $49 per month, you will get 5,000 credits per month, up to 10,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
For $99 per month, you will get 11,250 credits per month, up to 2 2,500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
With all premium plans, you will receive a Pro profile badge, full creation history, faster image generation, and no ads.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
In conclusion, LimeWire emerges as a democratizing force in the creative landscape, providing an inclusive platform where anyone can unleash their artistic potential and effortlessly share their work. With the integration of AI, LimeWire eliminates traditional barriers, empowering designers, musicians, and artists to publish their creations and earn revenue with just a few clicks.
The ongoing commitment of LimeWire to innovation is evident in its plans to enhance generative AI tools with new features and models. The upcoming expansion to include music and video generation tools holds the promise of unlocking even more possibilities for creators. It sparks anticipation about the diverse and innovative ways in which artists will leverage these tools to produce and publish their own unique creations.
For those eager to explore, LimeWire's AI tools are readily accessible for free, providing an opportunity to experiment and delve into the world of generative art. As LimeWire continues to evolve, creators are encouraged to stay tuned for the launch of its forthcoming AI music and video generation tools, promising a future brimming with creative potential and endless artistic exploration
Are you looking for a new graphic design tool? Would you like to read a detailed review of Canva? As it's one of the tools I love using. I am also writing my first ebook using canva and publish it soon on my site you can download it is free. Let's start the review.
Canva has a web version and also a mobile app
Canva is a free graphic design web application that allows you to create invitations, business cards, flyers, lesson plans, banners, and more using professionally designed templates. You can upload your own photos from your computer or from Google Drive, and add them to Canva's templates using a simple drag-and-drop interface. It's like having a basic version of Photoshop that doesn't require Graphic designing knowledge to use. It’s best for nongraphic designers.
Canva is a great tool for small business owners, online entrepreneurs, and marketers who don’t have the time and want to edit quickly.
To create sophisticated graphics, a tool such as Photoshop can is ideal. To use it, you’ll need to learn its hundreds of features, get familiar with the software, and it’s best to have a good background in design, too.
Also running the latest version of Photoshop you need a high-end computer.
So here Canva takes place, with Canva you can do all that with drag-and-drop feature. It’s also easier to use and free. Also an even-more-affordable paid version is available for $12.95 per month.
The product is available in three plans: Free, Pro ($12.99/month per user or $119.99/year for up to 5 people), and Enterprise ($30 per user per month, minimum 25 people).
To get started on Canva, you will need to create an account by providing your email address, Google, Facebook or Apple credentials. You will then choose your account type between student, teacher, small business, large company, non-profit, or personal. Based on your choice of account type, templates will be recommended to you.
You can sign up for a free trial of Canva Pro, or you can start with the free version to get a sense of whether it’s the right graphic design tool for your needs.
When you sign up for an account, Canva will suggest different post types to choose from. Based on the type of account you set up you'll be able to see templates categorized by the following categories: social media posts, documents, presentations, marketing, events, ads, launch your business, build your online brand, etc.
Start by choosing a template for your post or searching for something more specific. Search by social network name to see a list of post types on each network.
Next, you can choose a template. Choose from hundreds of templates that are ready to go, with customizable photos, text, and other elements.
You can start your design by choosing from a variety of ready-made templates, searching for a template matching your needs, or working with a blank template.
Inside the Canva designer, the Elements tab gives you access to lines and shapes, graphics, photos, videos, audio, charts, photo frames, and photo grids.The search box on the Elements tab lets you search everything on Canva.
To begin with, Canva has a large library of elements to choose from. To find them, be specific in your search query. You may also want to search in the following tabs to see various elements separately:
The Photos tab lets you search for and choose from millions of professional stock photos for your templates.
You can replace the photos in our templates to create a new look. This can also make the template more suited to your industry.
You can find photos on other stock photography sites like pexel, pixabay and many more or simply upload your own photos.
When you choose an image, Canva’s photo editing features let you adjust the photo’s settings (brightness, contrast, saturation, etc.), crop, or animate it.
When you subscribe to Canva Pro, you get access to a number of premium features, including the Background Remover. This feature allows you to remove the background from any stock photo in library or any image you upload.
The Text tab lets you add headings, normal text, and graphical text to your design.
When you click on text, you'll see options to adjust the font, font size, color, format, spacing, and text effects (like shadows).
Canva Pro subscribers can choose from a large library of fonts on the Brand Kit or the Styles tab. Enterprise-level controls ensure that visual content remains on-brand, no matter how many people are working on it.
Create an animated image or video by adding audio to capture user’s attention in social news feeds.
If you want to use audio from another stock site or your own audio tracks, you can upload them in the Uploads tab or from the more option.
Want to create your own videos? Choose from thousands of stock video clips. You’ll find videos that range upto 2 minutes
You can upload your own videos as well as videos from other stock sites in the Uploads tab.
Once you have chosen a video, you can use the editing features in Canva to trim the video, flip it, and adjust its transparency.
On the Background tab, you’ll find free stock photos to serve as backgrounds on your designs. Change out the background on a template to give it a more personal touch.
The Styles tab lets you quickly change the look and feel of your template with just a click. And if you have a Canva Pro subscription, you can upload your brand’s custom colors and fonts to ensure designs stay on brand.
If you have a Canva Pro subscription, you’ll have a Logos tab. Here, you can upload variations of your brand logo to use throughout your designs.
With Canva, you can also create your own logos. Note that you cannot trademark a logo with stock content in it.
With Canva, free users can download and share designs to multiple platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack and Tumblr.
Canva Pro subscribers can create multiple post formats from one design. For example, you can start by designing an Instagram post, and Canva's Magic Resizer can resize it for other networks, Stories, Reels, and other formats.
Canva Pro subscribers can also use Canva’s Content Planner to post content on eight different accounts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack, and Tumblr.
Canva Pro allows you to work with your team on visual content. Designs can be created inside Canva, and then sent to your team members for approval. Everyone can make comments, edits, revisions, and keep track via the version history.
When it comes to printing your designs, Canva has you covered. With an extensive selection of printing options, they can turn your designs into anything from banners and wall art to mugs and t-shirts.
Canva Print is perfect for any business seeking to make a lasting impression. Create inspiring designs people will want to wear, keep, and share. Hand out custom business cards that leave a lasting impression on customers' minds.
The Canva app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The Canva app has earned a 4.9 out of five star rating from over 946.3K Apple users and a 4.5 out of five star rating from over 6,996,708 Google users.
In addition to mobile apps, you can use Canva’s integration with other Internet services to add images and text from sources like Google Maps, Emojis, photos from Google Drive and Dropbox, YouTube videos, Flickr photos, Bitmojis, and other popular visual content elements.
In general, Canva is an excellent tool for those who need simple images for projects. If you are a graphic designer with experience, you will find Canva’s platform lacking in customization and advanced features – particularly vectors. But if you have little design experience, you will find Canva easier to use than advanced graphic design tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator for most projects. If you have any queries let me know in the comments section.
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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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