Author: NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORK

Illustrators have spent years sounding the alarm about generative artificial intelligence startups training their models on artists’ work without permission. They’ve pointed out how the practice is tantamount to theft, and in response, many gen AI boosters have argued that it’s necessary for the technology’s evolution. This has led to contentious legal battles, but it’s also given rise to a new wave of AI startups like Pippa that market their services as being more ethical than the competition.Like most companies selling access to text-to-video models, Pippa’s main product is short bursts of user-generated footage that can be cobbled together to…

Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social, has made another major move involving its Bitcoin holdings, extending a series of recent sales.The company sold 2,628 Bitcoin (BTC) worth about $165 million through transfers to Crypto.com, blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain said in a Sunday X post, citing data from Arkham.Lookonchain said Trump Media bought 11,542 BTC at an average price of $118,522 before beginning to sell portions of its holdings seven months ago.The Bitcoin sales come as Trump-linked crypto ventures face broader scrutiny, with lawmakers debating the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act and questions around ethics and…

New findings challenge a 42-year-old theory about why children’s body mass index (BMI) declines after infancy and then begins climbing steadily from about age 6. The pattern has long been described as the “adiposity rebound,” based on the idea that body fat first decreases and then returns. However, the new analysis suggests that the later increase in BMI is not caused by a rebound in fat. Instead, it may largely reflect the normal growth of muscle and other lean tissue. The research, led by Professor Andrew Agbaje, a physician and associate professor of clinical epidemiology and child health at the…

Why this matters: The number of San Diego County residents using food stamps has plummeted. Experts say new rules and longstanding fears are behind the decline. A line of umbrellas stretched around the corner and down the street as dozens of people sheltered themselves from the baking sun while they waited for cardboard boxes full of fresh produce and protein at a San Diego Food Bank distribution in San Ysidro Tuesday.  “The lines are getting longer,” Maria Lewis said. “People are worried now.” Lewis, an outreach coordinator, walked up and down the line, trying to sign people up for the…

Anyone who enjoys memes (who doesn’t?) has surely by now accumulated a mental menagerie of internet-famous animals. Mine include: Grumpy Cat, the Ikea monkey, Moo Deng the pygmy hippo, Paul the oracle octopus and – my personal favourite – Roger the hot kangaroo (go on, look him up).Now we have Jimothy, a raccoon with short spine syndrome. A familiar sight in his neighbourhood in Seattle for his unusually rounded appearance and scuttling movement, Jimothy went viral on Instagram two weeks ago and has since taken over the world. Within weeks of his debut, there has been fan art, merchandise, multiple…

Concerns over money laundering by the Trump Organization led Capital One Financial to close more than 300 bank accounts in 2021, the US bank said on Friday as it defended its decision against a lawsuit for illegal debanking. The ‌disclosure marks the first time a bank has formally tied money-laundering concerns to ⁠US President Donald Trump’s family business. Capital One is seeking to dismiss the case by casting doubt on claims of illegally debanking – or denying services on religious or ‌political grounds – the Trump Organization. The Trump Organization and Capital One did not immediately respond to requests for ⁠comment. Read…

On his desk at the law firm Paul Weiss, Brad Karp keeps a framed picture of a young girl and her father embracing after they had been separated at the border by the immigration policies of the first Trump administration. It is a reminder of one of the firm’s proudest moments — when Mr. Karp, as chairman, led its lawyers to fight the administration in court and undertake the painstaking work to reunite families.“It was a call to arms,” Mr. Karp said later.But two months into the second Trump administration, when the president came for Paul Weiss with an executive…

Doomscrolling can be addictive. It’s common to end up on the couch for hours, mindlessly scrolling through feeds, which inevitably messes up your posture and, in the end, just ends up making you feel bad about yourself. Your eyes definitely don’t like it, either. Fortunately, there are several apps that encourage you to get up and move before you dive into social media. There’s even one that literally has you go outside and touch grass before you can scroll TikTok or Instagram. So, if you’re looking to cut back on screen time and be a little more active, here’s a…

Traders have no way to react to events after markets close on TradFi venues. Perps on the other hand run 24/7. The Iran conflict was reflected in oil perps on Hyperliquid before CME reopened. Perps offer a continuously running, efficient market in a simple interface. Futures and options come with expiry dates, complicated greeks and interfaces. Perps remove all of that while keeping the speculative upside potential intact.Martin Lee is Market Insights Lead of DWF Labs, one of the most active market makers and investors in digital assets.Derivatives always outgrow spotDerivatives volumes always outgrow their underlying spot market. It’s what…

New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) suggests that sleep habits and genetics may interact to influence subtle brain and cognitive changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease years before noticeable symptoms develop. The study, conducted by ECU’s Centre for Precision Health (CPH), examined the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) gene. This gene helps control the movement of fluid through the brain, a function that supports the organ’s natural waste-clearing system. The Brain’s Overnight Waste Removal System The brain’s waste-removal process becomes especially active during sleep. Scientists believe it helps clear potentially harmful proteins, including proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that the effects…