Researchers have found that endangered species of killer whales in the Pacific Northwest utilize tools crafted from kelp for mutual care.
A new study published in Current Biology reveals that scientists observed the Southern resident whales producing tools by tearing bull kelp and rolling it between each other during social interactions.
Drone footage captured the kelp being pushed against a companion, revealing a whale engaged in an extended grooming session.
“What’s particularly remarkable is that although this behavior appears to be common, despite the regular drone observations over these whales for nearly 50 years, it has never been documented.” stated Lead author Dr. Michael Weiss from the Whale Research Center in Friday Harbor, Washington.
The endangered Southern resident population has fewer than 80 individuals residing in the Salish Sea, situated between British Columbia and Washington.
While tool use is well recognized among primates, elephants, and birds, it remains scarce in marine species.
Weiss and her team observed this behavior across various age groups and social units, noting that whales are more inclined to groom relatives or older companions.
Two whales interact by rubbing against each other. These scrubs may serve hygienic functions. – Whale Research Center, NMFS NOAA permit 27038
Whales with greater amounts of dead skin participated more frequently in this behavior, suggesting a connection to hygiene.
The findings underscore the cultural identity of Southern residents and emphasize the necessity of conservation efforts. It remains uncertain whether this tool-assisted grooming is exclusive to this group or if it occurs in other whale populations.
Weiss remarked, “It was incredibly thrilling to discover that whales are not just utilizing tools but employing them in ways previously unreported in marine mammals.”
Chinese researchers have been granted access to British Grand Prix records of half a million, despite concerns from Western intelligence agencies about the authoritarian regime’s accumulation of health data, as revealed by the Guardian.
The records are set to be transferred to UK Biobank, a research hub housing detailed medical information from 500,000 volunteers. This extensive health data repository is made accessible to universities, scientific institutions, and private companies. Guardian analysis indicates that one of the five successful applications for access originates from China.
Health authorities had been evaluating the need for additional protection measures for patient records as they are integrated with genomes, tissue samples, and questionnaire responses at UK Biobank. Personal details such as date of birth are stripped from UK Biobank data before sharing, but experts warn that in some instances, individuals could still be identifiable.
Despite warnings from MI5 about Chinese entities accessing UK data under the direction of China’s intelligence agency, UK Biobank, which oversees health data, has recently given clearance for Chinese researchers to access GP records.
As UK Ministers cozy up to Beijing in pursuit of economic growth, the decision reflects a delicate balance to avoid antagonizing the influential superpower, which prioritizes biotechnology advancement. The UK-China relationship is already under strain due to issues like the ownership of a China-owned steel factory in Scunthorpe and new regulations on foreign interference.
A government spokesperson emphasized that security and privacy are paramount considerations when utilizing UK health data for disease understanding and scientific research. They reassured that health data is only shared with legitimate researchers.
The UK Biobank has been a major success in advancing global medical research, according to Chi Onwurah, a Labour MP heading the Congressional Science and Technology Committee. She stressed the need for a comprehensive government strategy to ensure data control and secure, responsible data sharing in the geopolitical landscape.
Approval of access to patient records
Out of 1,375 successful applications for UK Biobank data access, nearly 20% come from China, second only to the US. Chinese researchers have leveraged UK Biobank data for research on topics like air pollution and dementia prediction.
In recent years, the US government has imposed restrictions on BGI subsidiaries due to concerns about their collection and analysis of genetic data potentially aiding Chinese military programs. Nevertheless, UK Biobank approved a research project with a BGI unit, emphasizing the need for strict compliance with UK data laws.
The UK Biobank representative dismissed claims of genetic surveillance or unethical practices by BGI, stating that the focus is on civilian and scientific research. The UK Biobank continues to engage with MI5 and other state agencies to oversee data use, including collaborations with Chinese entities.
Despite some opposition, patient records are being transferred to UK Biobanks and other research hubs as part of a directive from the Health Secretary. Access to these records is strictly regulated by NHS England based on security and data protection considerations.
NHS England requires overseas data recipients to be authorized for access to personal data in compliance with UK data laws. Regular audits ensure that data sharing processes meet security standards. Chinese researchers can now apply for access to GP records through the approved platform.
China is “developing the world’s largest biodatabase.”
Data repositories like UK Biobank play a crucial role in global research efforts, with some experts cautioning about China’s intent to leverage genomic and health data for biotech advancement. Intelligence sources suggest that health data could be exploited for espionage if anonymization is breached.
MI5 raised concerns about China’s National Intelligence Act and its implications for personal data controllers interacting with Chinese entities. China’s ambition to develop a vast biodatabase has drawn scrutiny from intelligence officials worldwide.
Privacy advocates have questioned the transfer of UK health data to China, urging vigilance against potential misuse in “hostile states.” UK Biobank has revamped its data sharing practices to enhance security and ensure that patient data is safeguarded.
Despite the concerns, UK Biobank CEO Professor Rory Collins underscores the importance of explicit consent from volunteers for studying health data, particularly GP records.
Scarlett Johansson raised concerns about the “immediate threat of AI” following the circulation of deepfake videos featuring her and other well-known Jewish celebrities in response to recent anti-Semitic comments made by Kanye West.
The deepfake video showcased AI-generated versions of numerous celebrities, such as Johansson, David Schwimmer, Jerry Seinfeld, Drake, Adam Sandler, Steven Spielberg, and Mila Kunis.
It began with a deepfake representation of Johansson wearing a t-shirt with raised hands and fingers adorned with the Star of David and Kanye’s name. The video was set to the tune of “Habanagira,” a traditional Jewish song typically played at celebratory cultural events and concluded with a message urging viewers to join the fight against anti-Semitism.
Other celebrities depicted in the video included Sacha Baron Cohen, Jack Black, Natalie Portman, Adam Levine, Ben Stiller, and Lenny Kravitz.
Johansson expressed her distress over the dissemination of AI-generated videos featuring her likeness online in response to anti-Semitic sentiments. In a statement to People, she stated, “As a Jewish woman, I unequivocally denounce all forms of anti-Semitism and hate speech. However, I believe the potential dangers posed by hate speech-enabled AI are far more concerning. We must hold AI accountable, as it presents a significant threat. Regardless of the AI’s message, there is a risk of inciting misuse of AI or real-life repercussions.”
A user known as Nishi made derogatory remarks, self-identifying as a “Nazi,” and lauding Hitler on social media before deactivating their account.
Nishi also featured in advertisements during the Super Bowl and directed viewers to their website, which was subsequently shut down by Shopify for policy violations. Fox TV station CEO Jack Abernethy also criticized the ads in a memo to staff.
Johansson has been an outspoken advocate against the unauthorized use of AI. She previously threatened legal action against OpenAI for using a voice resembling hers in their ChatGPT product. OpenAI eventually removed the prominently featured audio option from ChatGPT following significant backlash.
Johansson emphasized, “While I have been a prominent target of AI misuse, the reality is that the threat of AI affects us all.”
She further stated, “There is a pressing need for progressive nations to enact regulations safeguarding citizens from the imminent perils posed by AI, which regrettably the US government appears inert in addressing. It is alarming that the US lags in taking action.”
The actor urged lawmakers to enact legislation combating AI abuse, highlighting it as “a bipartisan issue with profound implications for humanity’s immediate future.”
The AI-generated video was created by Ori Bejerano, as indicated in his Instagram Bio. His original post noted that the content was digitally altered or generated with AI to create a realistic appearance.
TThe history of video games is, in some ways, a history of subtle iterations of other people’s ideas. The interstellar success of Taito’s Space Invaders spawned an entire shooter genre, with titles like Galaxian, Phoenix, and Golf taking the basic idea and adding new features. Then in 1984, Karate Champ started the fighting game craze, and Tetris gave us the falling object puzzle game. This is how things have always worked. Adapt, expand, and pass the baton. However, there is a subtle but deep gulf between imitation and inspiration, and not every title can cross it.
Chinese mega-publisher NetEase’s latest live service game, Marvel Rivals, is an Overwatch featuring Marvel characters. It’s more than just an elevator pitch. that’s right What is it? Colorful cartoon characters with varying skills gather in a series of sci-fi arenas for team-based combat in a handful of play modes. The Punisher, a vanilla guy with a machine gun, is Soldier 76 from Overwatch with a Bastion flavor. God-like healer Adam Warlock is a male Mercy. And the Hulk, as a fist-thumping tank, is just rampaging through Winston, the hairless gorilla. Also provides gaming site GamesRadar handy guide Show players which Marvel cast members most resemble their Overwatch favorites.
Marvel’s rival. Photo: Game Press
Many of the genre’s well-worn tropes and abilities have at least been remixed to suit the Marvel universe, and playing as these familiar legends adds an undeniable charm. From bludgeoning enemies with Thor’s hammer to sending exploding acorns flying as Squirrel Girl to slamming Captain America’s shield into Black Panther’s body armor, Rivals captures the comic dynamics of this famous cast perfectly. so much so that the large-scale skirmish seems like the most exciting scene in the movie. X-Men ’97 cartoon. It’s also great that all 33 heroes are available for free from the beginning. Of course, there’s also the Store and Battle Pass, but for now these only give you alternative costumes, emotes, and other accessories. And completing daily missions and seasonal story objectives will give you currency to buy this kind of stuff without paying a penny.
Additionally, the game has a big new feature, Team-Ups, which unlock additional hero abilities when at least two players on the same side select complementary characters. There’s a symbiote bond between Venom, Spider-Man, and Peni Parker that allows the latter two to channel the former’s alien powers, and allows Hela to heal and resurrect Thor and Loki in Ragnarok: Rebirth. I can do that. Kinship can greatly facilitate tactical play.
Marvel’s rival. Photo: NetEase Games
But Rivals in many ways reflects key tenets of the bible of hero shooter design. In other words, for every positive there is always a negative. The sheer number of Marvel’s super freaks and their team-up powers make the game feel very unbalanced at times. Characters like Storm and Iron Man are difficult to counter when they can stay in the air for the entire match, picking off enemies from a distance and avoiding most of the incoming gunfire. Big guys like Venom and Moon Knight tend to completely dominate the area they’re fighting, often at the expense of melee-based combatants who need to get close to deal significant damage. I never expected Wolverine to become one of the most nuanced and sophisticated characters in Marvel’s cast, but here we are.
This game is definitely luxurious in both look and feel. The user interface design regarding the menu system and information screens is excellent. Destructible locations shine in detail. And the characters are also beautifully reproduced. However, here too there are drawbacks. Amidst the chaos of a superhero riot, with explosions, magical attacks, and “hilarious” banter all at the same time, figure out what you’re hurting and what you’re hurting instead. It’s difficult. you Until it’s too late.
These characters will definitely receive buffs and nerfs in time to even out the balance, and players will begin to learn how to combine team members more strategically. But even if the balance issue were resolved, what we’re left with is the equivalent of a changeling in video game folklore, designed to trap those who loved the original. A supernaturally accurate replacement. The question is, can you really blame Rivals for getting too close to Overwatch and potentially getting a restraining order? As the failed hero shooters Hyena, Concord, and xDefiant recently demonstrated, the brutal economics of the live service market demand absolute loyalty to established norms. It’s also fine to tag large global licenses.
Rivals, like many other highly polished and highly focused franchise expansions, is entertaining, gorgeous, and well-made. However, its presence bodes ill for the mainstream gaming industry and the people who work in it. To be successful, especially in the live services sector (where there is a lot of investment), he says, there is no need to expand or challenge other genres. All you have to do is flip a few low denomination coins based on your innovation concept, replicate it and refranchise it. On the other hand, studios that launch new ideas and original characters are doomed to failure. Millions of dollars are lost, jobs are lost, and the game is over.
Rivals is packed with Stan Lee superheroes, but its message about the game’s all-out Funko Pop-ification is as dark as a Charles Burns graphic novel.
isAs Evie was scrolling through X in April, she saw some unwelcome posts in her feed. One was a photo of a visibly skinny person asking if they were skinny enough. Another post wanted to compare how few calories users were consuming in a day.
Debbie, who did not want to give her last name, is 37 and was first diagnosed with bulimia when she was 16. She did not follow either of the accounts behind the posts in the group, which has more than 150,000 members on the social media site.
Out of curiosity, Debbie clicked on the group. “As I scrolled down, I saw a lot of pro-eating disorder messages,” she said. “People asking for opinions about their bodies, people asking for advice on fasting.” A post pinned by an admin urged members to “remember why we’re starving.”
observer Twitter found seven more groups, totaling around 200,000 members, openly sharing content promoting eating disorders. All of the groups were created after Twitter was bought by billionaire Elon Musk in 2022 and rebranded as X.
Eating disorder campaigners said the scale of harmful content showed a serious failure in moderation by X. Councillor Wera Hobhouse, chair of the cross-party parliamentary group on eating disorders, said: “These findings are extremely worrying… X should be held accountable for allowing this harmful content to be promoted on its platform, which puts so many lives at risk.”
The internet has long been a hotbed of content promoting eating disorders (sometimes called “pro-ana”), from message boards to early social media sites like Tumblr and Pinterest, which banned posts promoting eating disorders and self-harm in 2012 following outcry over their prevalence.
Debbie remembers internet message boards in support of Anna, but “I had to search to find them.”
This kind of content is now more accessible than ever before, and critics of social media companies say it is pushed to users by algorithms, resulting in more and sometimes increasingly explicit posts.
Social media companies have come under increasing pressure in recent years to step up safety measures following a series of deaths linked to harmful content.
At an inquest into the death of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who died by suicide in 2017 after viewing suicide and self-harm content, the coroner ruled that online content contributed to her death.
Two years later, in 2019, Mehta-owned Instagram announced it would no longer allow any explicit content depicting self-harm. The Online Safety Act passed last year requires tech companies to protect children from harmful content, including advertising eating disorders, and will impose heavy fines on violators.
Baroness Parminter, who sits on the cross-party group, said the Online Safety Act was a “reasonable start” but failed to protect adults. “The obligations on social media providers only cover content that children are likely to see – and of course eating disorders don’t stop when you turn 18,” she said.
In the user policy, X We do not allow content that encourages or promotes self-harmwhich explicitly includes eating disorders. Users can report violations of X’s policies and posts, as well as use filters in the timeline to report that they are “not interested” in the content being served.
But concerns about a lack of moderation have grown since Musk took over the site: Just weeks later, in November 2022, he fired thousands of staff, including moderators.
Musk also brought changes to X that meant users would see more content from accounts they didn’t follow. The platform introduced a “For You” feed, which became the default timeline.
in Last year’s blog postAccording to the company, about 50% of the content that appears in this feed comes from accounts that the user doesn’t yet follow.
In 2021, Twitter launched “Communities” as an answer to Facebook Groups. Communities have become more prominent since Musk became CEO. In May, Twitter announced that “Your timeline will now show recommendations for communities you might enjoy.”
In January, Meta, a rival to X, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said it would continue to allow the sharing of content documenting struggles with eating disorders but would no longer encourage it and make it harder to find. While Meta began directing users searching for eating disorder groups to safety resources, X does not show any warnings when users are looking for such communities.
Debbie said she found X’s harmful content filtering and reporting tools ineffective, and shared screenshots of the group’s posts with the posters. observer Even after she reported it and flagged it as not relevant, the post continued to appear in her feed.
Mental health activist Hannah Whitfield deleted all of her social media accounts in 2020 to aid in her recovery from an eating disorder. She said she then returned to some sites, including X, where “thinspiration” posts glorifying unhealthy weight loss appeared in her For You feed. [eating-disorder content] The downside of X was that it was a lot more extreme and radical. Obviously it was a lot less moderated and I felt it was a lot easier to find something very explicit.”
Eating disorder support groups stress that social media does not cause eating disorders, and that people who post pro-eating disorder content are often unwell and do not mean any harm, but social media can lead people who are already struggling with eating disorders down a dark path.
The authors, who analysed two million eating disorder posts on X, said the platform offers people with illnesses a “sense of belonging”, but that unmoderated communities can become “toxic echo chambers that normalise extreme behaviour”.
Paige Rivers was first diagnosed with anorexia when she was 10. Now 23 and training to be a nurse, she came across content about eating disorders on XFeed.
Rivers said he found the X setting, which allows users to block certain hashtags or phrases, was easily circumvented.
“People started using weird hashtags like anorexia, which is a combination of numbers and letters, and that got through,” she said.
Tom Quinn, Director of External Relations Eating disorder charity Beat“The fact that these so-called ‘pro-ana’ groups are allowed to proliferate demonstrates an extremely worrying lack of moderation on platforms like X,” it said.
For those in recovery, like Debbie, social media held the promise of support.
But Debbie feels powerless to limit it, and her constant exposure to provocative content is backfireing: “It discourages me from using social media, and it’s really sad because I struggle to find people in a similar situation or who can give me advice about what I’m going through,” she says.
Company X did not respond to a request for comment.
Getting someone, anyone, to notice what they've discovered is a problem for almost every scientist (and also a problem for almost anyone who discovers almost anything).
Mark Patterson and his colleagues at Northeastern University in Massachusetts tried a theatrical approach to raising awareness about marine microplastics. They found success by cosplaying at San Diego Comic-Con (“Mindful Engagement”). Patterson dressed up as a giant coral and wielded a sword-like “microplastic harvesting device,” while another member of the team dressed up as Amphitrite, the Greek sea goddess, “with bracelets and hair made from plastic debris.”
“The novelty of our costumes and accessories, not a traditional collection of cosplay characters, proved to be an appealing way to engage convention-goers,” they say. “Participants ranged from 1-9 people at a time, and engagements lasted from 1-8 minutes.”
The feedback makes people who think professionally about thinking wonder if anyone really thinks that the thinker knows much about thinking.
Thinkers who think about thinking go by many names, including cognitive scientists, brain scientists, neuroscientists, neuroeconomists, philosophers, neurophilosophers, psychologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, therapists, neurotherapists, theologians, neurotheologists, and historians of ideas.
Never mind that they don't always praise each other, but call each other by various names.
Experts are debating consciousness: in the past five years alone, nearly 2,000 academic papers have been published exploring the question, “What is consciousness?”
And they ruminate about rumination. For example, Christopher Martin Kowalski, Donald Saklowski, and Julie Aitken-Sharmer of the University of Western Ontario in Canada wrote in May:What are you ruminating about? Development and validation of a content-dependent measure of rumination.“These three people who ruminate say they believe that existing measures of rumination assess ruminative thinking, regardless of the content of the rumination.”
What is the content of these ruminators' own ruminations? They give us glimpses of it in some of their other papers.
Perhaps you, too, will turn to the dictionary and ponder over gelotophobia, gelotophilia, and katagelasticism.
Explosive Insights
Questions arising from underground explosions, buried embalmed bodies, toxic groundwater (Feedback, July 20) and more continue to provoke people’s thinking.
William Drennan, a law professor at Southern Illinois University, takes a pessimistic view of embalming practices. writing Dickinson Law Review “Attempts to make coffins airtight and waterproof have led to a phenomenon known as 'Exploding Coffin Syndrome.' Essentially, attempts to make coffins airtight and waterproof lead to the disturbing conclusion that as the body decays, heat, gases and liquids build up inside the coffin, eventually causing an explosion.”
Apart from the intrinsic value of tradition, “there seems to be no benefit to embalming it after it has been made public,” Drennan said.
They conducted “numerous field tests and numerical simulations” [that] It is being implemented both domestically and internationally.”
While not specifically mentioning exploded, buried, and embalmed bodies, the team warns: “Calculating the parameters of the ground shock caused by an underground explosion is a complex energy-coupling problem.”
Telling all
There are two additions to the collection from Feedback titled “The Title Tells You Everything You Need to Know.”
If you've come across a similarly offensive, rancid, or blindingly obvious example, please send it (along with citation details) to Telltale titles, c/o Feedback.
Marc Abrahams is the founder of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony and co-founder of the journal Annals of Improbable Research. He previously worked on unusual uses of computers. His website is Impossible.
Do you have a story for feedback?
You can submit articles for Feedback by emailing feedback@newscientist.com. Please include your home address. This week's and past Feedback can be found on our website.
Leading up to the Paris Olympics, athletes are raising concerns about the scorching summer temperatures and the impact of climate change on their competitiveness and safety in sports.
In a recent report by climate advocacy and sports organizations in the UK and US, 11 athletes have highlighted the environmental challenges at the upcoming Olympics and the long-term implications for sporting competitions in a warming world.
Report The average temperature in Paris during the Olympics is projected to be over 5.5 degrees higher than in 1924, the last time the city hosted the event.
Athlete Jamie Ferndale, a former GB Olympic rugby sevens team member, expressed concerns about the extreme heat in Paris potentially affecting athletes’ performance.
“When temperatures reach 30 to 35 degrees Celsius, it becomes quite dangerous,” Ferndale said. “With six games in three days, athletes don’t have enough time to cool off between matches.”
Olympic organizers are taking measures to combat the heat, scheduling events strategically to minimize exposure and implementing heat-response tools to ensure safety, according to an International Olympic Committee spokesperson.
Local organizers for Paris 2024 have stated that France’s meteorological service will be closely monitoring temperatures, and adjustments to competition dates can be made if needed. Free water will also be available to spectators to help combat the heat.
Paris, being one of the European capitals most vulnerable to heat waves, is focusing on reducing the carbon footprint of the Olympics. Geothermal cooling and natural ventilation will be used in the athletes’ village, which will serve as permanent housing post-Olympics.
Athlete Pragnya Mohan raised concerns about the lack of air conditioning potentially affecting athletes’ recovery rate. However, the Paris 2024 committee assured that temperatures in athlete accommodations would be significantly lower than outside, and portable cooling units would be available for rent.
Discus thrower Sam Mathis questioned the feasibility of hosting Summer Olympics during the hottest times of the year, considering the challenges posed by extreme heat. Research has shown that heat-related illnesses have affected athletes in past Olympics, prompting the need for climate-conscious measures.
Investments in sustainable practices, such as cleaning up the Seine, building bike lanes, and planting shade trees, demonstrate Paris’ commitment to reducing emissions and adapting to future climate challenges.
Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire stressed the urgency of making changes to protect people from the dangers of extreme heat in everyday life.
99 bitcoinwas founded in 2013 and recently launched a pre-sale of its tokens to capitalize on the upward trend in Bitcoin’s value. The 99BTC team is seizing this opportunity to bring you the Earn While You Learn platform, a long-standing resource in crypto education.
What is 99 Bitcoin?
99Bitcoins has been disrupting technology concepts and welcoming new entrants to the world of cryptocurrencies for over a decade, as evidenced by the numbers on its team’s social media accounts. 700,000 YouTube followers, 16,000 Twitter followers 2 million registered users have found our 80+ hours of resources to be a great entry point for anyone wanting to learn more about cryptocurrencies.
The 99BTC token is its latest venture. The team accelerates education initiatives by bringing ‘gamification of learning’ to the platform, including exclusive access to premium content, discounts on partner products and services, a VIP community, trading signals and more when completing a course. We will reward those who do so with $99BTC and token holder events.
The 99Bitcoins team aims to attract all potential new users who are expected to enter the cryptocurrency space and explore Bitcoin in light of the upcoming halving. The event, which takes place this month, is expected to increase the number of first-time crypto enthusiasts, as confirmed by multiple surveys and leading sources. cointelegraph and coin desk.
Pioneering BRC-20: Pushing earning while you learn in a new direction
99Bitcoins is also positioning itself as a pioneer in the BRC-20 movement, a new token standard that allows developers to deploy smart contracts on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. Security and transparency are also key to this project. solid proof audit Verify that there are no potential issues or caveats in the 99Bitcoins contract.
It is worth noting that 99BTC was originally deployed as an ERC-20 token and will only be bridged to BRC-20 in Q4 2024, transferring the project’s security to the Bitcoin network.
When it comes to tokenomics (renamed Token Metrics by the team), 99Bitcoins is distributing 99BTC with a total supply of $99 billion, with the aim of remaining competitive and providing lasting sustainability.
15% is allocated to presale, currently selling 99BTC for $0.001.
14% on staking rewards, 2 years of rewards for stakers of $99BTC
23% will be allocated to project funds
17% community rewards
8% to provide liquidity to exchanges
23% for marketing
This tokenomics structure is coupled with an ambitious roadmap to release a beta version of the platform by the fourth quarter of this year, followed by a full version next year.
About 99 Bitcoin
99 bitcoin is an important educational resource about Bitcoin. We focus on providing information about cryptocurrencies and bringing new users into the industry. The website was founded by him in 2013 and has since expanded its knowledge base to popular blockchains and cryptocurrencies such as Litecoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Solana.
The platform is currently introducing gamification elements into its products, allowing students to receive rewards of $99BTC in the L2E economy. The 99BTC token is also a forerunner of the BRC-20 movement, a new token standard that enables the deployment of smart contracts on the Bitcoin network.
New multi-chain meme coin, dogeverseraised $6 million in pre-sale and recently passed smart contract audit.
The new meme coin leverages bridge technology to make tokens available across the most prominent on-chain markets.
Multi-chain approach enables broad accessibility
Dogeverse’s approach to multi-chain availability means that tokens are available across major smart contract-enabled blockchains.
The work is starting with Ethereum, BSC, and Polygon, and will soon be coming to Solana, Base, and Avalanche.
This approach makes Dogeverse more versatile and allows Dogeverse to maintain itself even as users migrate from one of the supported chains to another.
Multichain functionality connects different blockchain communities under one meme coin banner.
Dogeverse raises $6 million as meme coin saga continues
The meme coin market has recently dominated the crypto industry, with a total valuation of over $45 billion.
The presale includes a staking mechanism that generates Dogeverse tokens, and this mechanism works so that the yield decreases as the staking pool grows.
Blockchain security company Coinsult implements smart contracts audit About the new pre-sale meme coin.
According to the findings, Dogeverse has no high- or medium-risk smart contract issues and only one low-risk bug. However, Coinsult points out that the Dogeverse team has acknowledged the issue.
Data shows that Dogeverse is receiving engagement and growth on social media. Within last week, dogeverse x account has over 4K followers, dogeverse telegram The number of accounts has exceeded 2,000.
The project has also been covered by media and market analysts such as ClayBro. to support It is a “multi-chain utility”.
On the other hand, cryptogain was praised It launched the project and notified investors that the exchange's launch would take place soon.
About Dogeverse
Dogeverse is a new meme coin launching on six major smart contract-enabled blockchains. A pre-sale is currently underway that introduces a staking mechanism, encouraging users to lock up their tokens for passive rewards.
Dogeverse presales began in April 2024 at thedogeverse.com with a hard cap of $17 million. It has raised $6 million so far. The project's smart contract was recently audited by Coinsult.
Market participants can access Dogeverse pre-sales here.
The EU has given TikTok 24 hours to conduct a risk assessment of a new service it has launched over concerns it could encourage children to become addicted to videos on the platform.
Launched this month in France and Spain, TikTok Lite, an app that lets you earn rewards just by watching, is effectively TikTok’s coin currency that rewards points earned through Amazon coupons, gift cards via PayPal, or “tasks.” We offer prizes such as:
“Tasks” include watching videos, liking content, following creators, inviting friends to TikTok, and more.
The European Commission said TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, should have carried out a risk assessment before introducing the app, and said it was now seeking “further details”.
The intervention comes months after sweeping new laws came into force under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires technology companies and social media platforms to follow new rules regarding the services they offer to users and the removal of illegal content. It was done later.
In February, the commission launched a formal investigation into TikTok, alleging violations of the DSA in areas related to the protection of minors, advertising transparency, and risk management around addictive design and harmful content. We evaluated whether there is any gender.
Investigations into child protection on TikTok include age verification, an issue highlighted by a Guardian investigation into the platform last year.
While the commission said its request for further information regarding TikTok’s internal controls does not prejudge the possibility of further action, the commission said in response to the request that “any information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading” We have the power to impose fines.”
The organization said its request related to concerns “about the potential impact of the new Tasks and Rewards Lite program on the protection of minors and the mental health of users, particularly in relation to the potential stimulation of addictive behavior.” He said that
Last year, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy formally warned the nation that social media poses a “risk of serious harm” to the mental health of children and adolescents.
In September, TikTok was fined 350 million euros by the EU’s chief regulator for violating privacy laws regarding the processing of children’s personal data.
In addition to the 24-hour deadline for the risk assessment, TikTok must also provide other information by April 26, the commission said.
The company said it would honor the request. “We have already been in direct contact with the commission regarding this product and will respond to requests for information,” a TikTok spokesperson said.
The company said the benefit is limited to people aged 18 and over, subject to age verification, and the maximum payment is set at €1 (approximately £0.85) per day.
Following a dry run of Taiwan’s presidential election this year, China is anticipated to disrupt elections in the United States, South Korea, and India with artificial intelligence-generated content, as warned by Microsoft.
The tech giant predicts that Chinese state-backed cyber groups will target high-profile elections in 2024, with North Korea also getting involved, according to a report released by the company’s threat intelligence team.
“As voters in India, South Korea, and the United States participate in elections, Chinese cyber and influence actors, along with North Korean cyber attack groups, are expected to influence these elections,” Microsoft mentioned.
Microsoft stated that China will create and distribute AI-generated content through social media to benefit positions in high-profile elections.
Although the immediate impact of AI-generated content seems low in swaying audiences, China is increasingly experimenting with enhancing memes, videos, and audio, potentially being effective in the future.
During Taiwan’s presidential election in January, China attempted an AI-powered disinformation campaign for the first time to influence a foreign election, Microsoft reported.
The Beijing-backed group Storm 1376, also known as Spamoflage or Dragonbridge, heavily influenced Taiwan’s elections with AI-generated content spreading false information about candidates.
Chinese groups are also engaged in influencing operations in the United States, with Chinese government-backed actors using social media to probe divisive issues among American voters.
In a blog post, Microsoft stated, “This may be to collect intelligence and obtain accurate information on key voting demographics ahead of the US presidential election.”
The report coincides with a White House board’s announcement of a Chinese cyber operator infiltrating US officials’ email accounts due to errors made by Microsoft, as well as accusations of Chinese-backed hackers conducting cyberattacks targeting various entities in the US and UK.
My daughter used my credit card to book a 5-month stay using Airbnb after taking an internship in Toronto. After the host accepted the booking, she received an email saying the entire stay had increased by £4,000 for her (plus 39% for her).
In a panic, she canceled because she couldn’t afford to pay the extra fee. Airbnb took it. There is a £1,962 handling fee plus £682 cleaning fee and tax. Her daughter canceled immediately, so it is unlikely that your reservation will be lost.
Airbnb endlessly cites its terms of service. I asked the host to give me the money back, but he said he wouldn’t give it back. Feels as if it helped this guy perpetuate something. Seems like a scam.
JS, on mail
I’m surprised Airbnb didn’t resolve this issue in your favor before I got involved. You were asked to pay an additional 39% after booking – seriously? Fortunately, the company has now refunded you the full amount.
I was told that I should have declined the host’s request for additional fees. In that case, it was up to the host to decide whether to proceed at the original rate or cancel.
You wonder who at the company came up with the terms and conditions that allow for such a request, but all’s well that ends well. I hope your daughter enjoys Toronto.
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Bitbot’s presale went well, raising over $1 million in less than eight weeks. This is driven by the growing interest in AI and trading technology, which is drawing attention to this innovative new approach to trading.
Remote Blockchain Education – Blockchain Partners
Bitbot seeks to dominate the emerging Telegram trading bot market that is already in the market Well over $1 billion market capitalization, even though it was founded less than a year ago. With its first-of-its-kind non-custodial trading capabilities, BitBot finally allows crypto traders to set up and automate their trades. without it You have to give up your private key.and without it MustAbandon funds before the trade is executed.
The $1 million raised comes with the expansion of Bitbot’s social media presence.This project has brought together a community of 110k on X over- 20k on telegram In just 8 weeks.
In 2024 alone, the cumulative trading volume of the Telegram trading bot market will be $5.2 billion to over $12 billion, mark important milestones. But the numbers are even more impressive when you consider the troubles the Telegram trading bot space is recovering from.
In 2023, three prominent cyber threats affected the reputation of the sector. Major companies Unibot and Meastro were hacked. $560,000 and $485,000 Banana Gun lost over 90% of its token value within hours of launch due to several issues.
Despite these setbacks, Banana Gun currently boasts a market cap of $86 million with a return of +230% from its launch price, while Unibot's market cap is $30 million and its Unibot token has gained +70% from its launch price. achieved profits. These numbers show that the Telegram trading bot market is still very active.
What's more, Bitbot's non-custodial security approach and anti-lag technology are tactics that directly mitigate the security issues befalling its competitors. Bitbot's team believes this will give his Bitbot the differentiator it needs to take market share from incumbents and potential customers who may have previously avoided the Telegram trading bot space.
it gives bitbot A particularly strong hand if the BITBOT token enters the public market.
Bitbot is ready to tackle the recent AI surge
It's been about a year since ChatGPT's grand opening in 2023, and AI and AI cryptography are very trendy. The size of the AI crypto market is Cleared $40 billion this year10% of the top 50 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization belong to the AI sector.
As the bull market develops and AI becomes a target Market capitalization is $1 trillionBitbot is in a strategic position to advance these two developments simultaneously.
Bitbot's Gem Scanner tool leverages artificial intelligence to scan hundreds of active presales for the most promising projects. Similarly, Bitbot's Snipe the Trade feature gives users the opportunity to invest in undervalued projects, carefully researching the market and buying projects before potential pumps emerge. Everything is on autopilot.
The team recommends that enthusiasts looking at possible projects to support should start by focusing on areas where they have already been successful (AI), and then extend the potential of that area to BitBot Trading and Security. I hope it will be integrated with the functionality.
Bitbot’s price is currently $0.0122, with 63.9% of the programmed presale profits remaining in the token by the time it closes at a price of $0.0200. Comparing this number to the aforementioned Banana Gun and Unibot returns (230% and 70%), Bitbot significantly outperforms the market given its open market potential and superior security technology. The possibilities are huge.
Bitbot is a new Telegram trading bot that aims to put institutional trading tools into the hands of retail users, allowing them to trade using a variety of advanced features, including sniping and copy trading.
Audited by Solid Proof, Bitbot focuses on security and lives by the motto “Your Keys, Your Wallet, Your Assets.” To achieve this objective, the project partnered with Knightsafe to deliver the world's first non-custodial Telegram trading bot to reduce counterparty risk, and enhanced it with anti-MEV and anti-lag technology.
Bitcoin Dogs raised a total of $3.1 million in the first six days of its historic presale. The project's BRC-20 token, 0DOG, is the first-ever ICO on the Bitcoin blockchain.
Bitcoin dog Leveraging the recent Ordinals protocol to break new ground in the Bitcoin ecosystem, the team plans to launch a 10,000-strong NFT collection later this year.
The opportunity to be a part of history is a key selling point for the brand, which is no doubt boosted by the token price increasing every three days until the pre-sale ends on Friday, March 15th, after which the token will be available for trading.
Within 6 days, the Bitcoin dogs X community has over 80,000 followers and an additional 145,000 people actively discussing the project. Telegram community.
Bitcoin Dogs (0DOG) is available on the official website Website.
Future path for Bitcoin dogs
Beyond the historic ICO that launched the 0DOG token, Bitcoin Dogs has a very comprehensive roadmap: White paper consisting of a new Play-to-Earn game and one of the largest Bitcoin NFT collections ever.
Retro 8-bit graphics bring the world of Bitcoin Dogs to life, subtly echoing early NFT collections like CryptoPunks and classic pet simulator games like Tamagotchi.
Gameplay is tightly integrated with social media, a mechanism aimed at building community and bringing the game to a wider audience. By sharing their progress, players have the opportunity to earn in-game currency, which they can use to compete against other players in gruesome races and canine-themed competitions.
0DOG price factors
Bitcoin Dogs' success can be attributed to a number of factors, including strong project fundamentals, a resurgence in the Bitcoin-led cryptocurrency market, and a strong value proposition.
Bitcoin Dogs offers specific products such as: Games and NFT collections On the horizon. The project roadmap is also clear, with a long-term strategy to maintain interest beyond the ICO.
The ICO itself is also an important selling point. Being the first pre-sale for Bitcoin-based tokens has attracted a large number of buyers, and the short 30-day period is encouraging potential buyers to participate early. This momentum increase can also be caused by the 3-day price increase.
The project's proximity to Bitcoin is also likely to be a boon. Bitcoin will rise in value in 2024, stabilizing above $50,000 at the time of writing ahead of the next halving scheduled for April.
including media Cointelegraph The broader market could also benefit from predicting new highs after the halving, which would put Bitcoin Dogs in a good position to benefit from Bitcoin's slipstream.
Additionally, the BRC-20 token standard (which allows new cryptocurrencies to be deployed on and secured by the Bitcoin blockchain) has been making waves since its announcement in 2023. His BRC-20 projects such as ORDI and ORNJ achieved 3,000% rallies and 677% each.
Bringing this possibility to the forefront, Bitcoin dog We aim to become a strong candidate to carry the torch of BRC-20. With only 23 days left, time is running out for the long-awaited public trading to begin.
About Bitcoin Dog
Bitcoin Dogs is breaking new ground in the Bitcoin ecosystem. For the first time ever, NFTs, games, and a new type of token come together to deliver the first ICO on the original Bitcoin blockchain. Bitcoin's true permissionless immutability has been leveraged to create the 0DOG token, and a play-to-earn (P2E) gaming experience and NFT collection has been developed exclusively for his 0DOG holders.
For more information (0DOG) users please visit Bitcoin Dogs. Website.
Nibiru Chain, a general-purpose layer 1 blockchain, has successfully closed its latest funding round, securing $12 million in preparation for an ambitious growth phase. Venture investments include funding from Kraken Ventures, ArkStream, NGC Ventures, Master Ventures, Tribe Capital, and Banter Capital.
“Nibiru has taken all the best-in-class technology and research developed over the past few cycles and crammed it into the best new chain we've ever analyzed. Built-in development toolkit, easy-to-use API , language SDK, and is optimized for developers using native Oracle. MV Capital couldn't be more excited to partner with Nibiru as it moves to a new level of cryptocurrency adoption. – Tom Dunleavy, CIO and Partner at Master Ventures Capital
Nibiru’s community sale on CoinList sold out its initial allocation of $3 million in 9 minutes. His additional $3 million extension also sold out within 11 minutes. Ultimately, the sale earned 842% of the pre-funded excess interest and attracted 42,713 registrants and over 5,000 buyers of NIBI, the network's staking and utility token.
Nibiru Chain stands out for its innovative technology and developer- and user-centric focus. Key partners expressed their enthusiasm:
“We look forward to supporting the distinctive Layer 1 model designed by Nibiru, which allows for maximum interoperability while incentivizing developers and users through smart contract loyalty mechanisms. Core primitives are being built in parallel with the core foundation to enable functionality.” – Brandon Gath, Managing Partner, Kraken Ventures
This is the perfect platform for developers who prioritize security and performance. Boasting 40,000 transactions per second (TPS), 1.4 seconds block time, and robust security, Nibiru Chain's versatility spans multiple sectors including real-world assets (RWA), gaming, DeFi, and more. Developers build on her Nibiru Chain with confidence, leveraging CosmWasm smart contracts to enhance security and ease of use with EVM.
Additionally, developers can leverage Nibiru’s “Development Gas” royalty mechanism to ensure a sustainable model for long-term growth. The core of Nibiru Chain is to create the best environment for developers and users.
“Nibiru's integrated super application, native oracle, and data indexing greatly reduce the difficulty of technical choices for Web3 projects, while reducing the likelihood of security incidents. Increased trust, which in turn increases the growth and prosperity of the Nibiru ecosystem. – Allen Su, General Partner, ArkStream Capital
Looking to the future – Nibiru Chain’s 2024 roadmap
In 2024, Nibiru Chain aims to expand its ecosystem. Key developments include gamified engagement airdrops, integration with major liquidity centers, listing on multiple top-tier centralized exchanges, implementing parallel optimistic execution, and achieving full EVM compatibility. , includes several initiatives.
This is the year when Nibiru Chain’s flagship dApps are scheduled to launch, including Nibi-Perps, Nibi-Swap, and NUSD. These releases will be major milestones in his Nibiru Chain's journey towards a user and developer-centric platform.
About Nibiru Chain
Nibiru Chain is a breakthrough L1 blockchain and smart contract ecosystem with superior throughput and unparalleled security. Nibiru aims to be the most developer-friendly smart contract ecosystem, and by innovating at each layer of the stack (dApp development, infrastructure, consensus, comprehensive development toolkit, and value generation) is leading the way in implementing Web3.
Within 72 hours of the presale starting on January 17th, Bitbot raised an incredible $300,000.
Bitbot aims to lead the Telegram trading bot market, a fast-growing segment of the trading app market with lifetime trading volume worth $7 billion.
Telegram trading bot allows traders to manage their cryptocurrency trading portfolio within the Telegram app. In practice, this means that an investor who uses Telegram frequently (a significant number of the 800 million active Telegram users) straddles his two applications, the exchange and the Telegram app, to manage his trades. This means that you no longer need to operate with Additionally, the Telegram trading bot offers all the automated trading features found in exchange apps, bringing together the best of two worlds in one seamless package.
Andrew Jacobs, Technical Product Advisor at Bitbot commented: Our mission is to provide individual traders with powerful, institutional-grade tools in a simple and intuitive trading interface backed by robust security. We have a great team and we look forward to driving the evolution of the product and meeting the Bitbot community at his regular AMAs, which will be published on our social channels during the pre-sale period. ”
The Bitbot team aims to move quickly with a relatively small fundraising goal of $4.3 million, and is predicting a rapid pre-sale with prices closing between $0.0100 and $0.0200, with an initial investment before the project is listed. You may be offered 100% return on your home. An additional incentive is the attractive offer that the Bitbot token holder will receive his 50% of the company's profits, distributed as a percentage of his holdings, after its launch this year.
Telegram trading bot increases convenience by allowing users to perform the entire trading process within Telegram, the preferred messaging platform for cryptocurrencies, avoiding the often complex user experience associated with exchanges.
While Telegram trading bot trading volumes are impressive, it is clear that there is still a majority share of the pie that is currently dominated by traditional crypto exchanges. Even Bitspay consistently ranks in the top 70 exchanges. CMC, whose volume is similar to all Telegram trading bots combined. The magnitude of the opportunity is clear in terms of potential market share, and it is this kind of potential that is driving the product and development team and Bitbot to deliver a product suitable for mass adoption. .
This is probably one of the problems with Bitbot's competitors. Telegram trading bots can be quite complex and much of their operation relies on user commands. Moreover, many security issues have plagued even the biggest players in the market, which is a sour point for some but could be a very positive advantage for the Bitbot brand.
bitbot tackles both of these issues head-on. First, it eliminates the need for complex commands by providing an intuitive in-app interface that exchange users can instantly recognize.
Second, it offers non-custodial trading. This means a user can integrate her Bitbot with a cold wallet and eliminate the unpleasant need to part with private keys to initiate the bot's powerful automated trading features. This is supported by the brand's partnership with Safe Storage. This is a so far unprecedented product in the Telegram trading bot market and a truly unique and innovative approach focused on institutional level asset security.
This bot offers a myriad of advanced features, from copy trading to automatic sniping, that will appeal to both beginners and advanced traders.
Tokenomics and presale roadmap
As per the project white paperBitbot's pre-sale will run until Q1, with project listings on exchanges appearing in Q2 (which is possible given the current trajectory, unless the pre-sale sells out early).
Allocation details include: 30% reserved for presale, 20% for development team, 14% for marketing, 3% for liquidity, and 2.3% available to community (rewards and (consisting of airdrops), and 10% will be allocated to the Treasury.
The 20% designated to the development team will have a one-year vesting period to ensure long-term commitment from the team.
Bitbot’s impressive journey in the crypto market
Competing trading bots Unibot and Banana Gun quickly rose to prominence, and Unibot’s token price fell $230 Just 3 months after its release. According to a recent study, investors who participated in Unibot's pre-sale reportedly received returns of approximately 200x. CoinDesk article.
Bitbot hopes to follow in their footsteps, and its impressive fundraising was supported by a rapidly growing community. 90,000 followers of X We have over 5,100 members the telegram Within one week of pre-sale announcement. The project is currently already in stage 2, with a token price of $0.011, and only 9,200,000 tokens left before stage 3, when the price increases by 5%.
Bitbot hopes to attract pre-sale investors following the recent acceptance of Bitcoin ETFs and increased trading activity in the crypto market. This has garnered significant social support and has already been featured by prominent crypto publications like his Invezz, which has listed Bitbot in an article. Top cryptocurrencies of 2024.
Bitbot is a new Telegram trading bot that aims to put institutional trading tools into the hands of retail users, allowing them to trade using a variety of advanced features, including sniping and copy trading.
Audited by Solid Proof, Bitbot focuses on security and follows the motto “Your keys to your assets.” To achieve this objective, the project partnered with Knightsafe to deliver the world's first non-custodial Telegram trading bot to reduce risk for trading partners, and enhanced it with anti-MEV and anti-lag technology.
To learn more about Bitbot (BITBOT) users and to purchase, please visit the Bitbot site. Website.
US lawmakers are calling on Microsoft to foster a positive relationship with China in the development of AI technology, despite recent efforts by Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, to increase cooperation with the US adversary. During a meeting with Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao, Smith expressed the company’s eagerness to contribute to the digital transformation of China’s economy, with China looking forward to Microsoft’s potential collaboration in AI development.
However, this has raised concerns among US lawmakers and commentators, who fear that Microsoft’s extensive presence in China could pose a national security risk. Senator Josh Hawley has pushed back against Microsoft’s partnership with China, emphasizing the Chinese government’s desire for AI supremacy and the potential risks associated with such collaboration.
Rep. Mike Gallagher also expressed similar concerns, calling for stronger export controls for AI and other critical technologies due to the Chinese government’s intentions for sinister use of advanced AI tools.
The US-China relationship has recently deteriorated, and concerns over national security risks associated with Microsoft’s collaboration have been heightened. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the company’s primary focus on global markets excluding China, distancing the company from doing business with the Chinese government. However, the company has stressed its commitment to responsibly and ethically developing AI technology in China.
Despite heightened scrutiny and concerns, Microsoft continues to expand its operations in China, facing criticism from US lawmakers over potential exploitation of its technology by the Chinese government. Other US tech companies, such as Google and Meta, have pulled back from the region due to disputes with the Chinese government and increased US scrutiny.
Microsoft’s cooperation with China has raised concerns of technology transfers and potential security risks, as China has gained access to sensitive information about AI products and has been accused of misusing advanced technologies for human rights abuses.
Overall, Microsoft’s presence in China and its efforts to collaborate in AI development have sparked concern among US lawmakers and commentators, who fear the potential national security risks associated with such partnerships.
The advent of the Internet, combined with the ability to customize items such as clothing, revolutionized marketing, especially for products, back in the day. We think we’re all familiar with the “March” phenomenon by now, no? Benefiting from this long-term trend are customized product startups focused on small and medium-sized businesses. visawas able to raise a large funding round even in this relatively flat market in 2023.
Following the $38.6 million (€32 million) Series C that I reported on in 2020, the Lisbon, Portugal-based startup is currently in the process of completing its $18 million ($19.78 million) Series “C2” (not yet fully completed). (not Series D). ) to enter the US market. This round was led by the previous lead investor Indico Capital Partners. This was again joined by fellow Portuguese investors, Iberis Capital and Rinse Capital.
This brings Bizay’s total funding to €72 million (approximately $79 million), but a spokesperson demurred when asked what the company’s current valuation was. However, outside observers are likely to estimate the current valuation to be between $180 million and $220 million.
It’s no surprise at all that customer products continue to perform well. Companies love to push out branded products, and advances in technology have made it easier and easier for markets to serve them. As of 2022, the global custom apparel market size (clothing only) is valued at over $48 billion. Be expected It is expected to grow to reach $70 billion by 2028. Even just a customized T-shirt. projected It is expected to be worth more than $3 billion by 2025.
According to Bizay, the company’s “special sauce” is its supply chain system for product customization, which combines merchandising, packaging, apparel, and a wide range of product customizations, allowing it to significantly reduce costs and deliver products They say they have succeeded in increasing the number of categories. Right down to a customized company bird watch if you wish.
Bizay co-founder Jose Salgado said by phone: It’s a way for them to express themselves.
And Salgado said if, for example, the Texas Broncos want 50,000 customized T-shirts, the company is “investing a lot of effort.”
“We can be competitive not only for small quantities, but also for medium and large quantities. We have done extensive work in research and development and have understood how to scale up. It’s about these huge setup costs. It’s about allowing suppliers to produce multiple orders at the same time within the same operation. This results in significant cost savings.”
He noted that the company has “no factories, no machinery, no inventory,” but instead enables a fairly complex value chain to deliver its products. We choose the best suppliers. So the supply chain has been optimized to a very large extent,” he told me.
It’s clear that there are opportunities for e-commerce not just for small and medium-sized businesses.
Also, part of what’s happening in the world is the explosion of the creative economy. For example, influencers are connecting their various social platforms to customized product platforms to make insane amounts of money.
Early this year, #Make and buy TikTok With over 71 billion hashtag views, it’s clear that influencer marketing is alive and well.
In fact, fans of Sheffield band ‘Bring Me The Horizon’ can buy one. Personalized BMTH T-shirt Simply connect your Spotify account or email to the band’s product website.
Of course, Bizay often competes with a number of print-on-demand shops, from Printful to Printify to Gelato to Gooten to Art of Where. The question is how to differentiate between these countless players.
Salgado disputes that these companies focus on a single technology, saying that many of them are vertically integrated and therefore rely on in-house production. . and independent of quantity and requirements,” he said.
Stephane Morais, Managing General Partner at Indico Capital Partners, added in a statement accompanying the financing: . We believe this can be replicated in the US market and will once again support the team in executing that expansion.”
So much for company customized goods, we all know that getting goods from a bankrupt company is schadenfreude, and that’s often the more glamorous part of this world.
With the collapse of brands like Silicon Valley Bank, phrases like “SVB goods” have reached the peak in search trends and eBay sellers List up a $1,000 SVB-branded blanket and a $249 wine and cheese board with the SVB logo.
Perhaps Bisray’s Series D will result in it scooping up all of the failing intellectual property of failed companies and launching its own store of “memorabilia of failure.”
medallion is a platform for artists to have a dedicated digital hub to promote album releases, tour dates and merch drops, as well as sell digital collectibles and share exclusive content to connect deeper with fans. You can also foster connections. The company announced today that it has closed $13.7 million in Series A funding, co-led by Dragonfly and Lightspeed Faction.
Musicians are increasingly seeking direct ownership in their communities and avoiding third-party platforms that can complicate managing interactions with fans. From a fan perspective, there are many ways to follow and connect with artists, but with minimal online interaction.
Matt Jones, co-founder and CEO of Medallion, said: “Streaming has opened up access to music and social media, creating new channels for direct distribution, but artists and fans “The full potential of direct connections has not been exploited.” “Medallion’s artist-centric approach and focus on digitally native fan experiences are helping usher in a new era of transformation for artists.”
Medallion hopes to use this significant funding to address what many artists consider to be a major gap in the music industry: the lack of control and lack of direct connection when it comes to online relationships with fans. I am. The company plans to use this new capital to introduce new early access opportunities such as listening to previously released music and offering advance tickets, among other member benefits such as “video premieres and new updates.” He explained. Artists will soon be able to sell new exclusive and limited edition digital collectibles/NFTs such as poster bundles and trading cards.
Medallion recently introduced a new earning opportunity for artists in the UK, Australia and Germany: ‘Digital Deluxe’. This allows artists to sell digital versions of their music albums with built-in music players and downloadable audio, images, and videos. Artists can also sell physical items through an integration with Shopify.
Medallions are free for artists to use, but will account for a portion of all sales on the platform, an amount that was not disclosed. It is built on blockchain and allows users to sign in using email or their wallet provider (Rainbow, Coinbase, WalletConnect).
Additionally, Medallion is a white-label platform, meaning artists can customize their digital spaces with their own color themes, backgrounds, and more. When fans set up an account, they claim something like a unique digital collectible or membership card called a “medallion” that grants free access to the community. For example, Greta Van Fleet’s symbol is her spinning 3D gold ring.
Artists communicate with fans through social media posts, and fans can respond with comments. Some artists may also request that the community submit concert footage, photos, etc. to share with the community and further encourage fan engagement.
“We have partnered very closely with a small number of select artists over the past year to help us test and refine core product features. This platform is not yet open to all artists. However, we continue to invest in technology and platforms that will ultimately allow us to expand across the industry. At the moment, we are primarily focused on being among the top 10,000 artists on streaming platforms and being highly engaged. I work with independent-minded artists who have huge fan bases,” Jones said.
The company plans to expand the platform’s availability to hundreds more artists in 2024, but it won’t be widely available until 2025 or later.
The medallions are presented by Jones, Mark McIntyre (CTO), Josephine Yu (CPO), Jesse Belin (VP of Operations), Adam Ray (CFO and General Counsel), Ash Pampati (VP of GTM), Co-founded by Tom Milway (Vice President). Design) are all technology, e-commerce, and music industry veterans with experience at Songkick, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, Grailed, Warner Music Group, and Live Nation.
Other investors in the round include Coinbase Ventures, Infinite Capital, J17, The Chernin Group, Third Prime, and Zeal Capital, as well as music industry investors Bill Silva Entertainment, Black Squirrel, Foundations Artist Management, Method; Includes TAG Music. Medallion also has support from top artists such as Jungle, Mount Joy, Guy Lawrence (Disclosure), and Tiga.
The company has raised $22 million to date.
“Artists are beginning to understand that they are brands, not just content creators, and as a result, they are building multimodal businesses that go beyond just music and content,” said Dragonfly General Manager Partner Rob Haddick said in a statement.
With more than 1.17 billion phone connections and 881 million internet subscribers, India aims to modernize connectivity and introduce new services such as satellite broadband just months before general elections. Congress passed a telecommunications bill that replaced the 100-year-old rule.
India’s upper house of parliament on Thursday approved the Telecommunications Bill 2023 by voice vote, with many opposition leaders absent due to suspension, just a day after the bill was passed by the lower house. The bill would repeal rules dating back to 1885 during the telegraph era, giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government a mandate to use and manage telecommunications services and networks in the interest of national security, and to It gives the authority to monitor data. There is also a basis for the Indian government to intercept communications.
A newly passed telecommunications bill also allows spectrum to be allocated to satellite-based services without participating in an auction, and OneWeb wants to launch satellite broadband services in the world’s most populous country. The move is to give preferential treatment to companies such as , Starlink, and Amazon’s Kuiper. A long-standing demand for a “management process” surrounding spectrum allocation auctions. India’s Jio is trying to compete with three global companies with its homegrown satellite broadband service, but has relatively limited resources and has previously faced administrative opposition to its spectrum allocation model. Ta.
The bill also requires biometric authentication for subscribers to limit fraud and limits the number of SIM cards each subscriber may use. Additionally, it includes provisions for civil monetary penalties of up to $12,000 for violations of certain provisions and up to $600,400 for violations of conditions established by law.
The bill includes amendments to the Indian Telecom Regulatory Authority Act, 1997, targeting the telecom regulator, as the Indian government seeks to attract foreign investors by increasing private participation. These amendments would allow executives with more than 30 years of private sector experience to be appointed to regulatory agency positions. The chairman can become a member if he or she has served for 25 years or more. The country previously allowed only retired civil servants to serve as chairmen and commissioners of regulators.
“This is a very comprehensive and very large-scale structural reform born out of the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. The legacy of old fraudsters in the telecom sector will remain and this bill Arrangements will be made to make the telecom sector a rising sector through this,” said Ashwini Vaishno, India’s Telecom Minister, while introducing the bill in Parliament.
Interestingly, the Telecommunications Bill excludes the term “OTT” that was used in the first draft last year, setting out regulations for over-the-top (OTT) messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram. . Industry groups such as the Internet and Mobile Association of India, whose members include Google and Meta, have praised the changes. However, the scope of the regulation is not clearly defined throughout the document. Shivnath Thukral, head of India public policy at Meta, warned in an internal email that the government may have the power in the future to classify OTT apps as telecommunications services and subject them to licensing regimes. report By Indian outlet Moneycontrol.
Digital rights activists and privacy advocates have also raised concerns about the ambiguity surrounding the regulations and the lack of public consultation on the final version of the bill.
Apal Gupta, founding director of the digital rights group Internet Freedom Foundation, said at a public event earlier this week that the bill lacks safeguards for those targeted.
“The Ministry of Telecommunications still refuses to create a central repository on internet shutdowns, thereby reducing transparency. We are completely ignoring the core of the required telecommunications rules.” he emphasized.
Digital rights group Access Now called for the bill to be withdrawn and a new draft to be drafted through consultation.
“This bill is regressive because it strengthens colonial-era governments’ powers to intercept communications and shut down the internet. It undermines end-to-end encryption, which is critical to privacy.” said Namrata Maheshwari, Asia-Pacific policy advisor at Access Now, in a prepared statement.
The bill is currently awaiting approval from the President of India to become an official law.
The Group is one of Africa’s largest private investment funds. The privately held company, headquartered in Casablanca, operates in a variety of sectors, including banking, telecommunications, renewable energy, and the food industry. For many years, Al Mada’s approach has focused on acquiring majority stakes in Morocco’s largest private companies, with its portfolio spread across 27 markets, 25 of which are in Africa.
As part of its strategy and to remain relevant, the company is expanding its influence in these businesses, driving innovation within its portfolio, and increasing market share across the various sectors in which it operates while staying at the forefront of disruptive technologies that may emerge in the near future.
Last March, Al Mada launched a venture capital firm, aligning these observations with its objectives. Al Mada Ventures (AMV) was spun out. With a capital pool of $110 million (approximately AED 1.1 billion), Al Mada’s overarching plan was to create an Africa-focused company to address the gap in growth-stage investments. However, rather than relying on capital from DFIs or foreign institutional investors, the company uses capital raised exclusively from Africa. Apart from the anchor, Evergreen Fund’s limited partners include top-tier corporates and institutional investors based on the continent.
Mr. Laaresi co-founded the Cathay AfricInvest Innovation Fund (CAIF) before being selected to lead the Moroccan venture. The fund is a $100 million pan-African VC fund created through a partnership between private equity firm AfricInvest Group and Europe-based venture capital firm Cathay Innovation.
A new study has found that women using NSAIDs with hormonal contraceptives, especially high-risk types and those using diclofenac, have an increased risk of blood clots. This study calls for increased awareness and careful consideration of safer pain relief and contraceptive options.
Researchers advise that while the absolute risk remains low, women should be informed accordingly.
People using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers in combination with hormonal contraceptives may be at a slightly higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), according to a recently published comprehensive Danish study. There is a gender. BMJ.
The risk was higher for women using combination oral contraceptives containing third- or fourth-generation progestins, but the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ibuprofen, diclofenac, and progestin-only tablets; Women with implants and coils had a smaller risk. Naproxen.
Researchers stress that the absolute risk of developing serious blood clots is low, even for women using high-risk hormonal contraceptive methods. However, they say that given the widespread use of both hormonal contraceptives and NSAIDs, women should be informed of this potential drug interaction in a timely manner.
Classification of hormonal contraception and NSAID use
Although NSAIDs have been linked to blood clots, little is known about whether their use affects the risk of venous thromboembolism in healthy women using hormonal contraceptives. not.
To address this, the researchers used national medical records to find 49 children aged 15 to 49 with no history of blood clots, cancer, hysterectomy, or infertility treatment living in Denmark between 1996 and 2017. Two million women aged 20-30 years were tracked for their first diagnosis of venous thromboembolism.
Hormonal contraception was classified as high-risk, intermediate-risk, and low-risk according to its association with VTE based on previous studies.
High-risk hormonal contraception includes patches that combine estrogen and progestin, vaginal rings, and tablets containing 50 mcg of estrogen or third- or fourth-generation progestins. Moderate-risk contraception includes all other combination oral contraceptives and medroxyprogesterone injections, but progestin-only pills, implants, and hormonal intrauterine devices (coils) are classified as low-risk or no risk. I did.
Various potentially influencing factors were also taken into account, including age, education level, pregnancy history, previous surgical history, hypertension, and diabetes.
In this study, 529,704 women using hormonal contraceptives used NSAIDs. The most frequently used NSAID was ibuprofen (60%), followed by diclofenac (20%) and naproxen (6%).
Over an average 10-year monitoring period, 8,710 cases of venous thromboembolism (2,715 pulmonary embolisms and 5,995 deep vein thromboses) occurred, and 228 (2.6%) women died within 30 days of diagnosis.
Meaning and recommendations
In absolute terms, NSAID use is associated with 4 additional venous thromboembolic events per week per 100,000 women not using hormonal contraception and using intermediate-risk hormonal contraception. It was associated with 11 additional events in women and 23 additional events in women using high-risk hormonal contraception.
Among individual NSAIDs, diclofenac had the strongest association compared with ibuprofen and naproxen.
Because this is an observational study, it is not possible to determine cause, and the researchers highlight several limitations, such as missing information on smoking and obesity, which may influence the results. It is said that there is a possibility that
Nevertheless, this was a large study based on high-quality registry data, allowing the researchers to adjust for a wide range of potentially influencing factors. Furthermore, the associations persisted after further analysis, suggesting that they are robust.
Therefore, the researchers concluded that: “By using high-quality, linkable national registries, this national study shows that potentially fatal events occur when two drugs commonly prescribed to healthy women are taken together. It adds new knowledge about the risks involved.”
They added: “Women who require both hormonal contraception and regular use of NSAIDs should be advised accordingly.”
These data raise important concerns about the combined use of NSAIDs, particularly diclofenac, and high-risk hormonal contraceptives, writes Morten Schmidt. Aarhus University Hospital, linked editorial.
She said health authorities and regulators should include these findings in safety assessments of over-the-counter diclofenac, and that women using hormonal contraceptives and their clinicians should consider alternatives to NSAIDs for pain relief. I suggest that you should.
“If treatment with an NSAID is necessary, it may be preferable to use drugs other than diclofenac in conjunction with low-risk hormonal contraceptives, such as progestin-only tablets, implants, or intrauterine devices.” He concludes.
This study was funded by the Danish Heart Foundation.
A startup that realizes supply chain and e-commerce, omnifulltoday announced a $5.85 million venture led by VentureSouq with participation from 500 Global, DASH Ventures, Jahez Group, SEEDRA Ventures, Bunat Ventures, Hala Ventures, RZM Investments, and several family offices including Al Rasheed, Siraj Holding, Al It emerged from stealth with seed funding. Bawardi, Al Nafea.
The UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)-based startup builds systems for ordering, warehousing, and transportation management to help sellers leverage hyperlocal and omnichannel commerce to efficiently manage orders, allowing you to manage your inventory in real time. It also allows third-party logistics providers (3PLs) to efficiently manage workflows.
Mostafa Abolnasr, co-founder and CEO of Omniful, told TechCrunch that most retail companies are faced with the challenges of coordinating different sales channels, managing inventory flow, inventory accuracy, and picking and fulfillment times. He said the pain points for traders inspired him and Alankrit Nishad. If you have experience in e-commerce, get started. In addition, market research has shown that traditional software does not meet customer needs, is difficult to scale, is expensive, and takes time to implement, Abornsah said.
“We started with a vision to reimagine the technologies used today and in the future to operate supply chains, hyperlocal omnichannel retail, and e-commerce. We basically had to rethink every feature based on first principles and focused absolutely on four pillars: speed, accuracy, scale, and efficiency,” said Abornasr, adding that small sellers He added that he was also keen to reach out to the public.
“We’re looking at it from an impact and issue release perspective.”
Omniful provides merchants and third-party logistics providers with solutions that include tools for insight. image credits: Omniful
Large enterprises and small merchants using the technology will be able to leverage a variety of sales channels, reduce labor costs per store, and reduce fulfillment times by up to 40% and 70%, respectively.
Initial customers for Omniful’s globalized products include major retailers and third-party logistics providers in several markets, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Abornasr said the company’s technology can process a minimum of 3 million orders per day per customer, making it suitable for customers seeking growth. This also sets the stage for growth plans that include expanding the customer base in other parts of the world, including Africa and India, where R&D centers are located.
“We believe Omniful has its own wide range of applications and offers a lot of space to run. Here in MENA [Middle East and North Africa], the concept of trading is embedded in our history. There is a well-established tradition of excellent retail franchises in the region and Omniful will strengthen that and give us a competitive edge in an increasingly dynamic environment,” said Tammer Qaddumi, General Partner of VentureSouq. says Mr.
“Omniful is universal, adaptable, and global, and has already found use in several large markets. We truly believe that it is a borderless solution that can also serve as an integrator.”
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