I rather write garage code than using slop

Donald Trump is accused of raping a former Miss Switzerland in a report probing the president’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein released by House of Representatives Democrats this week.

Beatrice Keul, a retired model and beauty pageant contestant, told the House Judiciary Committee about an incident alleged to have taken place at New York’s Plaza Hotel in 1993. The report, released a week ahead of the midterm elections, also summarizes previously reported allegations from four other women against Trump.

The White House has strongly denied all of the reports’ claims, accusing “crazed” Democrats of “a desperate attempt to distract Americans” and insisting that the president has been “fully exonerated of anything related to Epstein.”

Keul previously claimed in October 2024 that Trump had sexually assaulted her at a beauty pageant staged at the Plaza Hotel, which Trump then owned.

"The president may have raped someone, but we need to double down on the made up rape threat that transgender people pose to women!"

-Republicans, demonstrably.

Newly-relected President Lula's campaign complained about interference in the election by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, claiming 'algorithmic manipulation.'

Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday, October 27, ordered police to investigate alleged foreign funding of defeated right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro's election campaign, and other interference from abroad such as social media "manipulation."

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 81, on Sunday won re-election after a bitter campaign. Bolsonaro has yet to concede defeat, vowing to legally challenge Lula's victory. Justice Flavio Dino ordered the investigation of "the possible origin, circulation and destination of foreign resources" during the campaign. He also ordered the probe of "deliberate asymmetries and algorithmic manipulation by internet companies aimed at favoring or harming candidacies in Brazil's electoral process."

Dino cited press reports and allegations from political parties in his request for an investigation.

Lula's campaign complained about interference in the election by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, claiming "algorithmic manipulation."

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/61046669

Archived

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Official data released in the last week show the ratio of China's dependent elderly people compared to the working age population rose to 23% last year, overtaking the figure for children, which stood at 22%.

The numbers are closely watched for signs of how China's shrinking workforce will impact both the world's second largest economy and global growth as a whole.

The latest figures mark a significant milestone as China grapples with an ageing population that could have implications for families, pensions and healthcare spending, analysts say.

[...]

The demographic shift is "symbolic" and could suggest more public spending will move from families and schools to pensions and healthcare, said Professor Stuart Gietel-Basten from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

It may also pose a challenge to the country's ambitions, as it could limit its economic growth as well as people's spending power, said National University of Singapore sociology lecturer Mu Zheng.

[...]

China's ageing population has been driven by a mix of factors, including rapid urbanisation and the effects of the controversial one-child policy, which was in place from 1980 to the end of 2015.

[...]

Despite easing restrictions on the size of families, Beijing has struggled to persuade couples to have more children, with birth rates hitting historic lows.

Other contributing factors include changing gender roles, rising living costs and higher education levels that have put pressure on fertility rates, Mu said.

[...]

As a result, China's birth rate hits record low as population continues to shrink.

Government data on Monday showed that the country's birth rate fell to 5.63 per 1,000 people – a record low since the Communist Party took power in 1949 – while its death rate rose to 8.04 per 1,000 people, the highest since 1968.

Its population fell 3.39 million to reach 1.4 billion by the end of 2025, marking a quicker decline than the previous year ...

China has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world, at around one birth per woman, below the replacement rate of 2.1. Other economies in the region, such as South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, have similarly low fertility rates ...

China is also one of the most expensive countries in which to raise a child, according to a 2024 report by the YuWa Population Research Institute in Beijing ...

From Reza A

Taken at 11 at night with flashlight on one of the many canals during a silent boat ride in the Sunderbans, world's largest mangrove forest in Bangladesh.

Buffy Fish Owl 2025

They're so cute and cuddly looking during the day, what happened here, Buffy?! 😮

Imagine suddenly spotting those eyes in the dark!

From Anne Langkow

A tiny Northern Pygmy-Owl tucked among the beautiful colors of fall 🍁 🍃

I don't think any other owl gets me quite as excited as this one does!

A Republican candidate running to unseat a Democratic incumbent in the state Legislature is facing charges for exposing himself to a child walking to her bus stop earlier this month.

Authorities charged Andre Stafford, running for Georgia House District 42 in Smyrna, with one felony count of child molestation and one count of public indecency.

Reached by phone, Stafford said he was innocent, but would not comment further about the accusations or his campaign for state House.

Authorities arrested Stafford on Thursday. Records show Stafford was released on Saturday on a $27,720 bond.

According to an arrest report, Stafford is accused of telling a girl she was pretty before exposing himself and driving away from a bus stop early on Oct. 15. The report did not give the age of the alleged victim.

What is it with Republicans and sexual indecency? Something about being rich and powerful must make people not see other people as anything other than sec toys.

From Akbar Bhai Nalsarovar

Eurasian scops owl

Today morning sighting Nal sarovar Bird sanctuary gujarat.... October...2026

Ausgeschieden sind Rheinland-Pfalz, Hessen, Berlin, Sachsen, Hamburg und das Saarland.

"FAQ" von tagesschau.de Wo ein Endlager noch möglich ist

US central bank last month raised rates for first time since 2023, in move that infuriated Donald Trump

The US Federal Reserve is expected to leave interest rates unchanged on Wednesday during its last rate-setting meeting before the midterm elections, keeping rates at one of the highest pre-election levels seen in over 20 years.

Last month, Fed officials raised rates for the first time since 2023, citing rising inflation. Inflation has hovered for years above the Fed’s target rate of 2%, and for most of this year, the annualized inflation rate has remained above 3%.

The move infuriated Donald Trump, who said that “interest rates in the United States should be 1% or less”.

Though inflation rose higher in September, going from 3.4% in August to 3.7%, a pause would signal the central bank is taking a wait-and-see approach ahead of the midterms next week.

Interest rates determine the cost of interest for loans, including for credit cards, mortgage and some savings accounts. During times of high inflation, raising rates can slow price increases.

Près de La Corogne, en Galice, l’opérateur Endesa procède au remplacement de 40 turbines de trente ans d’âge par quatre éoliennes qui vont presque doubler la quantité d’électricité produite. Subventionnée par l’Union européenne, cette pratique est en plein développement dans la péninsule Ibérique.

The DIA’s threat assessment suggests China may soon place directed energy weapons in space.

A winged Chinese spacecraft bearing a strong resemblance to the US military’s X-37B spaceplane was photographed in orbit by a passing US-owned commercial satellite in 2024, and we finally have the image.

The Chinese spaceplane has delta wings, payload bay doors, a dark heat shield, and a rear-mounted service module with power-generating solar arrays. In other words, the design of the winged ship is, to a great degree, a copy of the X-37B spaceplane flown by the US Space Force.

The photo was taken by a commercial imaging satellite owned by a company called Vantor, known as Maxar in 2024. Vantor is one of several companies that provide reconnaissance imagery of locations around the world to the US military and US intelligence agencies. The same Earth-imaging satellites can point their telescopes at objects in space.

From Steve Gettle

"Lickity Split - Breakfast" - Panther Chameleon - Eastern Madagascar CC

A dramatic pause - both eyes swivel forward locking on the target and... SNAP! in an instant the tongue flashes and breakfast is served.

Good Luck and Good Light! Steve and Nicole

Image: Panther Chameleon - Eastern Madagascar CC Nikon Z9, Nikkor 100-400mm, 1/2000th @ f5.6, ISO 2000, Image cropped 20% for final composition.

Critics warn of climate danger as president in Texas claims change will save companies and consumers billions

Donald Trump announced his administration is “terminating” Biden-era regulations holding oil and gas companies accountable for large leaks of planet-warming methane during a rally in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday evening.

Trump said during a campaign rally in Texas that the change would save consumers and energy producers $45bn and unlock 210 million barrels of oil – equivalent to about 10 days of US petroleum consumption. “Tonight, I’m officially terminating Biden’s expensive and unnecessary methane regulations to save consumers and energy producers,” Trump said, lifting what he called “crippling regulations on methane that caused prices to skyrocket” for small oil and gas operators.

The move aims to encourage more domestic drilling as Trump faces criticism over high fuel prices stemming from the US war in Iran.