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Friday 31 March 2023

'Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' directors explain why Edgin doesn't cast any bard spells

A group of four fantasy adventurers in a red-tinged landscape full of grey stone statues.

As someone who's currently playing a bard in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, one of the biggest questions I had while watching Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was "Why isn't Edgin using any magic?"

With his lute and his smooth-talking ways, Edgin (Chris Pine) is the bard of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' adventuring party. By game standards, this means he's a full caster. Bards can cast iconic spells like Vicious Mockery, as well as magically inspire fellow players with Bardic Inspiration. But while Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings several classic game spells to life, such as Speak With Dead, it leaves many others — including those associated with bards — behind.

The limited magic use also extends to druid Doric (Sophia Lillis), who frequently shapeshifts using Wild Shape but otherwise doesn't cast spells. Really, the main caster of the party is sorcerer Simon (Justice Smith), who has his own journey of self-discovery related to magic use.

Given that Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves features several casting classes who never cast spells, I asked directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley how they chose which aspects of certain classes to bring to life in the film, especially when it came to magic.

"It was primarily dictated by the story," Goldstein said in a Zoom interview. "Magic is so powerful and can solve so many problems that we decided we really wanted to limit it to certain characters, because then it forces them to find other ways through."

Adding to that idea of problem-solving is the fact that Dungeons & Dragons spells aren't always a surefire way to get out of a jam. In the film, Simon complains about how everyone believes that magic is an easy fix to every solution. As the sorceror points out repeatedly (and as the film shows), magic has its limits.

"That's baked into Dungeons & Dragons, that limitation," added Goldstein. "The game would be too easy if you could just cast a spell for everything."

However, just because we don't see Edgin directly casting anything doesn't mean he doesn't have special abilities of his own.

"We also liked the idea that Edgin's only real magical power was being able to convince people to carry out his ridiculous plans," said Daley. "And the fact that he's able to charm people and get people on board is a little bit less obvious of a power, but certainly something that makes him stand out in the group."

Hey, that high Charisma modifier always comes in handy!

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is now in theaters.



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Over 6 Million People Displaced in Yemen in Eight Years of Hostilities

DOHA (Sputnik) - The number of internally displaced persons in areas under the control of Houthi rebels in Yemen has exceeded 6 million in the eight years of the military operation of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, Yemeni news agency SABA reports citing data from the Ansar Allah movement.

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Milley Says US Rhetoric on China Needs to Become More Realistic, Less ‘Emotional’

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States’ rhetoric towards China needs to become more realistic and less emotional, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said on Friday.

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Twitter's algorithm specifically tracks how Elon Musk's tweets are doing

Twitter logos

Twitter has just released – as promised by owner Elon Musk – the source code for its recommendation algorithm, and there's already been a very interesting discovery in the code.

After pouring through the code, multiple people found at least one really interesting portion of the code that shows Twitter is specifically tracking metrics for users broken up into four different groups:

  • "power_user"

  • "republican"

  • "democrat"

and

  • "elon"

That's right, Twitter is specifically tracking how Musk's tweets are performing, and it's been coded right into Twitter's algorithm.

Twitter algorithm
A screenshot of one of the relevant portions of the algorithm released by Twitter. Credit: Mashable Screenshot

Following the release of the algorithm, a Twitter Spaces audio chat was set up by the company. Musk and a few of Twitter's developers took questions from listeners. A couple individuals brought this particular part of the algorithm up during the conversation.

"This is the first time I'm seeing this," Musk said when asked about the code that tracked accounts in these four groups including one just for his tweets. "There’s a ton of stupid and embarrassing things being shown by making the code open source."

While Musk claims he did not know about the metric tracking portion of the algorithm, he has previously admitted that Twitter was reviewing his account's analytics. He did so in a tweet last month in order to push back against reports that he called an emergency Twitter meeting to boost his tweets in the algorithm, after a Super Bowl tweet from President Joe Biden performed better than Musk's own tweet about the game.

When a guest speaker on the Twitter Space shared his concerns about grouping accounts into the categories "democrat" and "republican," one of Twitter's developers explained that this code was just for collecting stats. A note on the algorithm source code, however, states that the metric collecting was being used to ensure that changes to Twitter did not negatively affect any of these four groups.

According to Twitter's own explanation of how this metric tracking is being used, if an algorithm change benefited an entire group of users, but negatively impacted the group made up solely of Elon Musk, it would not implement that algorithm change.

Zoƫ Schiffer of Platformer reported that Twitter actually removed part of the source code that affected the reach of Musk's and other user's tweets before releasing the algorithm to the public.

During the Spaces chat, Twitter explained that the metric tracking code was first developed into the algorithm years ago under the old Twitter regime. However, it was not explained why Musk's tweets were specifically being tracked, a part of the code that seemingly would've been added much more recently. 

Musk did respond that Twitter would remove it.

"It shouldn’t be there," Musk said. "Consider it gone."

Musk also shared in a tweet following the Twitter Spaces chat that the company would make changes to the algorithm based on user feedback every one to two days.

Elon Musk did deliver what he said he would on Thursday. The owner of Twitter previously promised that the social media platform would be more transparent. Musk said Twitter would share its recommendations algorithm on March 31 at 3pm EST, and the company did just that.

But, the release of this source code also comes days after Twitter forced Github to take down other parts of Twitter's source code that was allegedly posted by a former employee without the company's permission. So, clearly, there's still plenty of Twitter that Musk still doesn't want us to see.



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Thursday 30 March 2023

On Trump indictment day, Twitter is good again

A photo of a phone displaying a tweet from Donald Trump's Twitter account in 2018, reading

Elon Musk's Twitter may be a dying platform, a Jenga tower of baffling new features stacked atop the gaps where useful ones used to be, but there are still days when it is simply the best place to munch popcorn and enjoy jokes about the news in real time. Thursday March 30 was one of those days.

News broke in the early evening, New York time, that a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict former president Donald Trump on charges relating to alleged hush money paid to porn performer Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to cover up a brief sexual relationship. It's one of four criminal investigations currently looking into the former president's activities — alongside two from the DoJ regarding the Jan. 6 insurrection and mishandling of classified documents, and one relating to election interference in Fulton County, Georgia — but it's the first to result in actual charges against Trump himself.

Watchers in both Trump's camp and the media more broadly had been expecting the indictment as early as last Tuesday, so the political wits and meme dealers of Twitter had some time to prep their gags. But as always, the news was met by a cascade of classic memes, inside jokes, and well-seasoned schadenfreude.

Some were generous enough to reference Trump's career highs.

Won't somebody please think of the late night shows?

Speaking of rich people, the verdict in Gwyneth Paltrow's ski-accident civil suit came down within the hour of the Trump announcement.

Early reports about the substance of Trump's actual indictment hinted at a whopping 34 counts of falsifying documents.

And Trump's own response to the news, of course, added fuel to the fire as only he can.

Pelting digital tomatoes at Trump on his perp walk is always fun, but it should always be in the context of the untold damage he's done to real people in his decades of public life as a rich, vainglorious, racist shithead. The final word — literally — should go to one of those people.



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Trump May Be Facing 34 Counts, McCarthy Says House Will Hold DA Will Account for 'Abuse of Power'

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Former US President Donald Trump may be facing up to 34 counts in connection to allegedly falsifying business records, CNN reported citing sources familiar with the matter.

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Governor DeSantis Says Florida Will Not Assist in Extradition Request For Trump

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in a statement that the state will not assist in an extradition request for former President Donald Trump due to questionable circumstances surrounding Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

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Norwegian Police Say Seize Largest Batch of Cocaine in Country’s History

MURMANSK (Sputnik) - Oslo police seized 820 kilograms (1807 pounds) of cocaine transported in fruit boxes this week, police spokeswoman Grete Lien Metlid said on Thursday.

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'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for March 31

A woman's hands holding a mobile phone playing 'Quordle'

If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for hints. There aren't just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you'll get what you need.

What is Quordle?

Quordle is a five-letter word guessing game similar to Wordle, except each guess applies letters to four words at the same time. You get nine guesses instead of six to correctly guess all four words. It looks like playing four Wordle games at the same time, and that is essentially what it is. But it's not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.

Is Quordle harder than Wordle?

Yes, though not diabolically so.

Where did Quordle come from?

Amid the Wordle boom of late 2021 and early 2022, when everyone was learning to love free, in-browser, once-a-day word guessing games, creator Freddie Meyer says he took inspiration from one of the first big Wordle variations, Dordle — the one where you essentially play two Wordles at once. He took things up a notch, and released Quordle on January 30. Meyer's creation was covered in The Guardian six days later, and now, according to Meyer, it attracts millions of daily users. Today, Meyer earns modest revenue from Patreon, where dedicated Quordle fans can donate to keep their favorite puzzle game running. 

How is Quordle pronounced?

“Kwordle.” It should rhyme with “Wordle,” and definitely should not be pronounced exactly like "curdle.”

Is Quordle strategy different from Wordle?

Yes and no.

Your starting strategy should be the same as with Wordle. In fact, if you have a favorite Wordle opening word, there’s no reason to change that here. We suggest something rich in vowels, featuring common letters like C, R, and N. But you do you.

After your first guess, however, you’ll notice things getting out of control if you play Quordle exactly like Wordle.

What should I do in Quordle that I don’t do in Wordle?

Solving a Wordle puzzle can famously come down to a series of single letter-change variations. If you’ve narrowed it down to “-IGHT,” you could guess “MIGHT” “NIGHT” “LIGHT” and “SIGHT” and one of those will probably be the solution — though this is also a famous way to end up losing in Wordle, particularly if you play on “hard mode.” In Quordle, however, this sort of single-letter winnowing is a deadly trap, and it hints at the important strategic difference between Wordle and Quordle: In Quordle, you can't afford to waste guesses unless you're eliminating as many letters as possible at all times. 

Guessing a completely random word that you already know isn't the solution, just to eliminate three or four possible letters you haven’t tried yet, is thought of as a desperate, latch-ditch move in Wordle. In Quordle, however, it's a normal part of the player's strategic toolset.

Is there a way to get the answer faster?

In my experience Quordle can be a slow game, sometimes dragging out longer than it would take to play Wordle four times. But a sort of blunt-force guessing approach can speed things up. The following strategy also works with Wordle if you only want the solution, and don’t care about having the fewest possible guesses:

Try starting with a series of words that puts all the vowels (including Y) on the board, along with some other common letters. We've had good luck with the three words: “NOTES,” “ACRID,” and “LUMPY.” YouTuber DougMansLand suggests four words: “CANOE,” “SKIRT,” “PLUMB,” and “FUDGY.”

Most of the alphabet is now eliminated, and you’ll only have the ability to make one or two wrong guesses if you use this strategy. But in most cases you’ll have all the information you need to guess the remaining words without any wrong guesses.

If strategy isn't helping, and you're still stumped, here are some hints:

Are there any double or triple letters in today’s Quordle words?

One word has a double letter.

Are any rare letters being used in today’s Quordle like Q or Z?

One word has a double letter.

What do today’s Quordle words start with?

C, T, S, and P.

What are the answers for today’s Quordle?

Are you sure you want to know?

There’s still time to turn back.

OK, you asked for it. The answers are:

  1. CHOIR

  2. TUBAL

  3. SCOUR

  4. PARRY



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US House Bill to Remove China's 'Developing Country' Status Unlikely to Succeed

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US House bill to challenge China's "developing country" status is a sign of national insecurity and political showboating which is unlikely to succeed and deprive Beijing of the benefits it has under global trade rules, due to a lack of consensus on the issue within the World Trade Organization (WTO), experts told Sputnik.

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Wednesday 29 March 2023

No Evidence of Weapon Misuse in Ukraine, US Officials Claim During Hearing on Aid

On Wednesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee on aid to Ukraine lawmakers spent hours listening to witness testimony from officials observing the agencies responsible for distributing the billions in aid given to Ukraine by America.

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Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Monks Stayed After Deadline

The monks of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra did not leave the building of the religious complex. Despite the fact that the deadline announced by the Ukrainian authorities was 29 March, the monks of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) stayed overnight in the lavra, as they fear a forcible takeover of the building, media reported.

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Two Syrian Servicemen Wounded In Israeli Attack - Syria's Defense Ministry

CAIRO (Sputnik) - Two Syrian servicemen were wounded in an Israeli missile attack on the outskirts of Damascus, the Syrian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

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'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for March 30

A woman's hands holding a mobile phone playing 'Quordle'

If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for hints. There aren't just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you'll get what you need.

What is Quordle?

Quordle is a five-letter word guessing game similar to Wordle, except each guess applies letters to four words at the same time. You get nine guesses instead of six to correctly guess all four words. It looks like playing four Wordle games at the same time, and that is essentially what it is. But it's not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.

Is Quordle harder than Wordle?

Yes, though not diabolically so.

Where did Quordle come from?

Amid the Wordle boom of late 2021 and early 2022, when everyone was learning to love free, in-browser, once-a-day word guessing games, creator Freddie Meyer says he took inspiration from one of the first big Wordle variations, Dordle — the one where you essentially play two Wordles at once. He took things up a notch, and released Quordle on January 30. Meyer's creation was covered in The Guardian six days later, and now, according to Meyer, it attracts millions of daily users. Today, Meyer earns modest revenue from Patreon, where dedicated Quordle fans can donate to keep their favorite puzzle game running. 

How is Quordle pronounced?

“Kwordle.” It should rhyme with “Wordle,” and definitely should not be pronounced exactly like "curdle.”

Is Quordle strategy different from Wordle?

Yes and no.

Your starting strategy should be the same as with Wordle. In fact, if you have a favorite Wordle opening word, there’s no reason to change that here. We suggest something rich in vowels, featuring common letters like C, R, and N. But you do you.

After your first guess, however, you’ll notice things getting out of control if you play Quordle exactly like Wordle.

What should I do in Quordle that I don’t do in Wordle?

Solving a Wordle puzzle can famously come down to a series of single letter-change variations. If you’ve narrowed it down to “-IGHT,” you could guess “MIGHT” “NIGHT” “LIGHT” and “SIGHT” and one of those will probably be the solution — though this is also a famous way to end up losing in Wordle, particularly if you play on “hard mode.” In Quordle, however, this sort of single-letter winnowing is a deadly trap, and it hints at the important strategic difference between Wordle and Quordle: In Quordle, you can't afford to waste guesses unless you're eliminating as many letters as possible at all times. 

Guessing a completely random word that you already know isn't the solution, just to eliminate three or four possible letters you haven’t tried yet, is thought of as a desperate, latch-ditch move in Wordle. In Quordle, however, it's a normal part of the player's strategic toolset.

Is there a way to get the answer faster?

In my experience Quordle can be a slow game, sometimes dragging out longer than it would take to play Wordle four times. But a sort of blunt-force guessing approach can speed things up. The following strategy also works with Wordle if you only want the solution, and don’t care about having the fewest possible guesses:

Try starting with a series of words that puts all the vowels (including Y) on the board, along with some other common letters. We've had good luck with the three words: “NOTES,” “ACRID,” and “LUMPY.” YouTuber DougMansLand suggests four words: “CANOE,” “SKIRT,” “PLUMB,” and “FUDGY.”

Most of the alphabet is now eliminated, and you’ll only have the ability to make one or two wrong guesses if you use this strategy. But in most cases you’ll have all the information you need to guess the remaining words without any wrong guesses.

If strategy isn't helping, and you're still stumped, here are some hints:

Are there any double or triple letters in today’s Quordle words?

One word has a double letter.

Are any rare letters being used in today’s Quordle like Q or Z?

Q.

What do today’s Quordle words start with?

A, R, A, and Q.

What are the answers for today’s Quordle?

Are you sure you want to know?

There’s still time to turn back.

OK, you asked for it. The answers are:

  1. ALIBI

  2. REACH

  3. ACRID

  4. QUARK



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French PM Borne to Meet With Trade Unions’ Representatives on April 5 - CFDT

PARIS (Sputnik) - French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne will meet with representatives of trade union organizations to discuss the controversial pension reform on April 5, the deputy secretary general of the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT), Marylise Leon, said on Wednesday.

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Australian Company Made Meatballs With Wooly Mammoth Protein

Vow, an Australian biotech company that specializes in in vitro meat production, introduced meatballs with the protein of the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius). The company believes that its activities will contribute to the conservation of nature's biodiversity.

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Tuesday 28 March 2023

Clearview AI CEO Reveals His Facial Recognition Software is Widely Used by Police

A nearly illegal software banned from selling its services to most US companies has been in hot water over its controversial way of collecting data: although it has helped some people prove their innocence critics accuse it of breaching privacy rights.

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'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for March 29

A woman's hands holding a mobile phone playing 'Quordle'

If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for hints. There aren't just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you'll get what you need.

What is Quordle?

Quordle is a five-letter word guessing game similar to Wordle, except each guess applies letters to four words at the same time. You get nine guesses instead of six to correctly guess all four words. It looks like playing four Wordle games at the same time, and that is essentially what it is. But it's not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.

Is Quordle harder than Wordle?

Yes, though not diabolically so.

Where did Quordle come from?

Amid the Wordle boom of late 2021 and early 2022, when everyone was learning to love free, in-browser, once-a-day word guessing games, creator Freddie Meyer says he took inspiration from one of the first big Wordle variations, Dordle — the one where you essentially play two Wordles at once. He took things up a notch, and released Quordle on January 30. Meyer's creation was covered in The Guardian six days later, and now, according to Meyer, it attracts millions of daily users. Today, Meyer earns modest revenue from Patreon, where dedicated Quordle fans can donate to keep their favorite puzzle game running. 

How is Quordle pronounced?

“Kwordle.” It should rhyme with “Wordle,” and definitely should not be pronounced exactly like "curdle.”

Is Quordle strategy different from Wordle?

Yes and no.

Your starting strategy should be the same as with Wordle. In fact, if you have a favorite Wordle opening word, there’s no reason to change that here. We suggest something rich in vowels, featuring common letters like C, R, and N. But you do you.

After your first guess, however, you’ll notice things getting out of control if you play Quordle exactly like Wordle.

What should I do in Quordle that I don’t do in Wordle?

Solving a Wordle puzzle can famously come down to a series of single letter-change variations. If you’ve narrowed it down to “-IGHT,” you could guess “MIGHT” “NIGHT” “LIGHT” and “SIGHT” and one of those will probably be the solution — though this is also a famous way to end up losing in Wordle, particularly if you play on “hard mode.” In Quordle, however, this sort of single-letter winnowing is a deadly trap, and it hints at the important strategic difference between Wordle and Quordle: In Quordle, you can't afford to waste guesses unless you're eliminating as many letters as possible at all times. 

Guessing a completely random word that you already know isn't the solution, just to eliminate three or four possible letters you haven’t tried yet, is thought of as a desperate, latch-ditch move in Wordle. In Quordle, however, it's a normal part of the player's strategic toolset.

Is there a way to get the answer faster?

In my experience Quordle can be a slow game, sometimes dragging out longer than it would take to play Wordle four times. But a sort of blunt-force guessing approach can speed things up. The following strategy also works with Wordle if you only want the solution, and don’t care about having the fewest possible guesses:

Try starting with a series of words that puts all the vowels (including Y) on the board, along with some other common letters. We've had good luck with the three words: “NOTES,” “ACRID,” and “LUMPY.” YouTuber DougMansLand suggests four words: “CANOE,” “SKIRT,” “PLUMB,” and “FUDGY.”

Most of the alphabet is now eliminated, and you’ll only have the ability to make one or two wrong guesses if you use this strategy. But in most cases you’ll have all the information you need to guess the remaining words without any wrong guesses.

If strategy isn't helping, and you're still stumped, here are some hints:

Are there any double or triple letters in today’s Quordle words?

No.

Are any rare letters being used in today’s Quordle like Q or Z?

No.

What do today’s Quordle words start with?

M, B, F, and A.

What are the answers for today’s Quordle?

Are you sure you want to know?

There’s still time to turn back.

OK, you asked for it. The answers are:

  1. MOIST

  2. BRAND

  3. FAITH

  4. ADMIN



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Apple Pay Later is here to stretch your finances

Apple Pay Later screens on two iPhones against a colorful abstract background

Apple is finally launching Apple Pay Later, making it that much easier to buy, buy, buy.

On Tuesday, the tech giant announced that Apple Pay Later is now available in the U.S.

The Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) service allows users to split payments into four installments over the course of six weeks, with no interest or fees. Apple Pay Later was initially announced at WWDC last year and was expected to come with the iOS 16 update. But it was hampered by "technical and engineering challenges" per Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

As of today, the service is available to "randomly selected users" and will continue to roll out to more users in the coming months.

How Apple Pay Later works

In Apple Wallet, iPhone and iPad users can apply for Apple Pay Later loans between $50 to $1,000. If users are in good financial standing, they'll be approved to use Apple Pay Later at online checkout and with in-app purchases. According to the announcement, the approval process, which involves a soft credit pull, will not impact the user's credit. Users can keep track of their payments in Apple Wallet and will receive an email and Wallet notification before their payment is due. Apple Pay Later users must use a debit card linked in Apple Wallet, no credits cards allowed.

Apple Pay Later service on an iPhone
Keep track of all your pending payments in Apple Wallet. Credit: Apple

Apple's foray into the lending business is an assertive push to lock users into the Apple ecosystem. Apple Pay Later makes Apple devices even more indispensable now that they're tied to your finances. BNPL services like Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, and now Apple Pay Later are essentially the same layaway plans that have been around forever. But instead of the occasional large purchase like a TV or a couch, you can do this with anything you're tempted to buy. No interest, no additional fees, and immediately getting your purchase with the first payment is a seductive concept that has become mighty popular in recent years.

Apple Pay Later payment tracking
Apple Pay Later pops up when you're ready to make your purchase. Credit: Apple

But it's also a really easy way to accumulate debt. "Because of the ease of getting these loans, consumers can end up spending more than anticipated," said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in a 2021 statement announcing an inquiry into BNPL services. The inquiry also noted potential risks for data harvesting and potentially inadequate consumer protection.

Apple assures users that Apple Pay Later data is private and protected. Payments are authenticated through Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode and users' data is never shared or sold to third parties.

The BNPL service is managed by Apple Financing LLC, which plans to report loans to U.S. credit bureaus this fall "so they are reflected in users’ overall financial profiles," the announcement states.



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How to make a mood board with your friends on Instagram

How to create a collaborative collection on Instagram.

It seems that every single thing you like about a social media app will soon also be available on Instagram. Today's new feature: collaborative collections.

If you're familiar with a shared board on Pinterest, boy do I have some excellent news for you. On March 28, Instagram officially launched collaborative collections for everyone around the world. It's a new feature that allows users to save and organize Instagram posts with the help of a follower, friend, lover, enemy, etc. I could see this being useful if you're working on decorating an apartment and want to make sure you're on the same page, or you're creating a mood board together, or, perhaps, planning a fun trip to Portugal. The feature allows you and whoever else you'd like to create a saved collection they can all add to. You can add up to 250 people to your collection but keep in mind: Everyone you add to the collaborative collection also has the power to remove posts.

Here's how to create a collaborative collection on Instagram:

1. Save a post 

Find a post you like and click the save button, a little icon that looks like a bookmark or a flag. 

Find a post you like and click the save button, a little icon that looks like a bookmark or a flag. 
The first step to creating a collaborative collection on Instagram Credit: Screenshot / Instagram

2. Create a collaborative collection

Instagram will prompt you to "save posts with friends'' by asking if you'd like to save a post to a collaborative collection. "Anyone in the chat can add or remove posts to the collection," the prompt informs. If Instagram doesn't prompt you, click "new collection" to the right of "collections," and ensure that it's collaborative by clicking the bar next to the word "collaborative."

Instagram will prompt you to "save posts with friends'' by asking if you'd like to save a post to a collaborative collection. "Anyone in the chat can add or remove posts to the collection," the prompt informs.
The second step to creating a collaborative collection on Instagram Credit: Screenshot / Instagram

3. Name your collection and add your friends

Now, it's pretty simple. Name your collection — something like "apartment" or "¯\_(惄)_/¯." Make sure you click "collaborative" and add the friends you'd like to share it with.

Now, it's pretty simple. Name your collection — something like "apartment" or "¯\_(惄)_/¯," make sure you click "collaborative" and add the friends you'd like to share it with.
The second step to creating a collaborative collection on Instagram Credit: Screenshot / Instagram

There are other ways to create a collaborative collection on Instagram, like by saving something to a collection if you've sent it in a direct message. No matter how you choose to create it, once it's made, you and your collaborators can add content from feed, explore, reels, or reshares in DMs.

It's unclear if this will be one of the many new Instagram features that flops or if Pinterest is the next tech giant to get swallowed up by Meta. Either way, I'll be here with my frogs.



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Trump Grand Jury Sets Aside Hush-Money Probe For The Week - Reports

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The grand jury tasked with investigating the role former president Donald Trump allegedly played in paying hush money to an adult film star has concluded for the week, potentially delaying any possible charges against Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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Raise Your Right Hannity

Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox Corporation and Fox News for defamation, claiming that the news corporation pushed conspiracy theories about Dominion that Fox executives and personalities knew to be false.

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Monday 27 March 2023

'You think I’m kidding?': Biden Starts Conference After Nashville Shooting With a Joke

During a White House press conference after the Nashville tragedy, President Biden began his speech with a humorous remark about his love for Jeni's ice cream, specifically the chocolate chip flavor. He stated that he had only come to the gathering because he had heard there would be ice cream.

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West Applied Huge Pressure Ahead of UNSC Vote on Nord Stream Probe Resolution Says Polyanskiy

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - Western countries as usual exerted major pressure on UN Security Council members ahead of the vote on the Russian-drafted resolution calling for a UN-led probe of the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy told Sputnik.

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Hersh Says Not Surprised by UNSC Not Adopting Resolution for Probe of Nord Stream Attack

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - American journalist Seymour Hersh told Sputnik that he is not surprised the UN Security Council did not adopt a resolution that called for a UN-led investigation of the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines.

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Student Attacks Teachers at Brazilian School With Knife, Killing One

BUENOS AIRES (Sputnik) - A 13-year-old attacked teachers at Thomazia Montoro school in Brazil's Sao Paulo, killing one of them, Brazilian media reported on Monday.

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Man, Wrongly Convicted of Rape Awarded $5.5 Mln By New York – Report

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Anthony J. Broadwater, who spent 16½ years in prison after being wrongly convicted for an assault in Syracuse, New York, will receive more than $5 million from the state of New York.

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Sunday 26 March 2023

'Succession' Season 4: What's the real meaning of the final scene with Logan in episode 1?

An older man sits at a chair by a long table looking serious.

We've had a recent hit of apocalyptic heartbreak with The Last of Us, we're currently getting our fix of survival-based scares with Yellowjackets, and here to round off the holy trinity of misery with some good old fashioned psychological-trauma-mixed-with-familial-dread is the return of Succession.

But as well as the sharp barbs and familiarly diabolical moments, Season 4's first episode also came armed with the script's usual multi-layers.

A perfect example of this? The very last scene with Logan (Brian Cox) watching an ATN news show, which seemed almost like a throwaway moment but was filled with hidden meaning.

What happens in the final scene of episode 1?

After being outbid on the purchase of media conglomerate PGM by his own children during his own birthday party, the ending of Season 4, episode 1 sees Logan slumped on the couch on his own, presumably drunk as he watches a news show on ATN, the network he owns.

Clearly not happy with what he's seeing, Logan reaches for his phone and dials Cyd Peach (Jeannie Berline), a senior employee at ATN. They have the following exchange:

"Cyd. I just watched the top of the hour. It's bullshit. People watch at night. I watch at night."

"OK..."

"Who is this fucking lunk anyway? He looks like a ballsack in a toupƩe. Are you losing it, Cyd?"

"I'm all over it, Log—"

"Are you fucking losing it?"

Midway through Cyd attempting to reassure Logan once again he hangs up on her, and the episode ends moments later. But is the scene really as simple as Logan chastising an employee?

What does the final scene really mean?

Logan randomly lashing out at his staff is nothing new. But the Logan we see in this scene — slumped posture, slightly disheveled — is far from commonplace.

If he's feeling stressed, though, he has reason to. The sale of Waystar Royco is imminent, which means for the first time in his life Logan will be giving up power. To make things worse, he also just lost out on the purchase of PGM to his own scorned children, all of whom have now parted ways with their father and become rivals after the events of Season 3's finale.

In the scene described above, I don't think Logan is simply moaning at an employee — I think he's desperately floundering for a sense of control that's quickly slipping away from him. His phone call is an attempt to exert power before he loses any more of it. And when he shouts that last question down the phone, that "Are you fucking losing it?" Logan isn't really talking to Cyd Peach, he's talking to himself.

Succession Season 4, episode 1 is streaming now on HBO Max, with new episodes airing weekly.



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Foreign Ministers of Iran, Saudi Arabia Discuss Upcoming Meeting - Ministry

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud have discussed their upcoming meeting over the phone, the Iranian Foreign Ministry informs.

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New Russian Nuclear-Powered Icebreaker to Be Laid Down in May Next Year - Rosatom

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The new, fifth and sixth Russian nuclear icebreakers of Project 22220 are planned to be laid down at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg, in May 2024 and October 2025, respectively, Maxim Kulinko, Deputy Head of the Northern Sea Route Directorate of Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom told Sputnik.

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Two Missiles Launched by Pyongyang Fall Outside of Japan’s Exclusive Zone - Report

TOKYO (Sputnik) - The two suspected ballistic missiles launched by North Korea on Monday morning landed outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone, Japanese media report.

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Israel’s Former Prime Minister Urges Netanyahu to Halt Reform As Police Deploy Water Cannons

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) - Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has urged incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the judicial reform and start negotiations.

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Saturday 25 March 2023

The best web hosting providers for ecommerce

Online shop on laptop

Just as they do with a physical shop, first impressions matter when it comes to online stores. It's vital to purchase the best web hosting for your ecommerce website to ensure that your customers get the best service and you benefit from the most sales for your business. A good quality web host ensures that your website loads speedily and safely while giving you plenty of tools to make your site look great.

Web hosting for ecommerce is a little different from regular web hosting, in that there are more things to consider and more features you'll want. It tends to include features like an SSL certificate and other security features so that you're able to sell directly through your website. A good ecommerce host appreciates those challenges and makes such features simple for you to implement while also offering easy-to-use web builder tools.

Read on as we check out the best providers for ecommerce hosting and explain precisely what to look for when finding the best ecommerce platform your business needs — no matter how big or small your company may be.

What features should a hosting provider offer for ecommerce?

No single hosting provider is quite the same as another. That's because they all provide different features. Broadly, they can also be divided up into four main categories of hosting — shared hosting, VPS, dedicated, and cloud hosting. Shared hosting is the cheapest option out there because your website is hosted alongside other websites, meaning it'll run slower than on a dedicated server, and you typically won't have as many advanced features available to you.

VPS and cloud hosting is an in-between option. You're provided with a virtual private server which gives you more options, albeit at a price. There's also web hosting such as Wix, Shopify, and Squarespace, which aims to provide an ecommerce platform in a simplified way that still proves fairly powerful.

Generally, shared hosting will be fine for an ecommerce website for smaller businesses, with Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify also great options for the less tech-savvy.

Whichever you choose, it's essential to look for key features such as an SSL certificate for security, along with easy-to-use interfaces for adding shopping cart functionality and other ways to help customers easily shop in your store. If you have limited experience with web design, a user-friendly web builder tool is immensely useful too, so you can focus on listing your products rather than trying to design a site from scratch. Pretty much all web hosting offers these tools now, but their quality definitely varies.

Are there web hosting providers just for ecommerce?

Only Shopify exclusively offers ecommerce web hosting. All the other web hosts listed here also provide conventional web hosting alongside their ecommerce features. Shopify focuses on making it simple to set up an online shop, but its fee system can work out to be quite expensive for the privilege.

What should you spend on web hosting for ecommerce?

It's possible to spend relatively little on web hosting for your ecommerce business. It's also possible to spend a lot, depending on what you need from it.

If you own a small business with only a handful of customers, then you can spend less than a thriving online business that has many more customers each day. That's because, generally, the more visitors you have or expect to have, the more bandwidth you'll need, and the more you'll pay to give your customers a speedy and effective experience. Page load time is very important for ecommerce websites. Think of the last time you wanted to visit an online store, but the site wouldn't load. That retailer probably lost a sale. Speed is also important for SEO.

Spending more can also make more features available to you, with some web hosting companies adding additional tools such as an online booking system, tax management, or simply 24/7 online support. You might not need all of these features, though, so it's worthwhile thinking about what you'll need before hitting the buy button.

How does the size of your store affect your choice of web hosting?

As mentioned, it's crucial to buy according to the size of your business. If you only stock a few artisan items online, then a small ecommerce package will be sufficient. However, if you plan on selling many dozens of items and have hundreds of customers, you'll need to purchase a package that reflects that.

The key things to check when making a purchase is in terms of the bandwidth made available to you each month, as well as if there are any visitor limits tied to your web hosting. It's wise to buy accordingly. A heavy-duty package is excellent for a busy company, but it's not a great idea for a business that needs to count pennies and focus on a small user base.

All web hosting companies allow you to increase the package you're on and grow with you, so if your business suddenly expands, you can always switch up to the next package available to you. Don't be afraid to play it safe financially when starting out.

What is the easiest ecommerce website builder to use?

Companies like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify are most designed with novices in mind. Typically, they offer the most uncomplicated website building experience, allowing anyone to drag and drop on a computer to design a website that can be easily accessible on both computer and mobile. Besides offering some great-looking templates, they often allow you to manipulate every element of the site in a straightforward way which means you never have to deal with the code behind the design.

However, these services also tend to cost more than other web hosting firms so you may need to factor that into your budget.

Pretty much all web hosting companies now offer some form of website builder, whether it's a little rudimentary or involves picking from a series of templates. There are also many tutorials online for those that want to get more hands-on.

What is the best web hosting solution for ecommerce?

There are plenty of options out there, which can making picking the best solution for you quite tricky. We've tried to help you out by lining up a selection of standout options, including the likes of Wix and Squarespace.

These are the web hosting solution for ecommerce in 2023.



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Biden Promises Federal Support to Mississippi After Deadly Tornado

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden has promised support to the state of Mississippi where over two dozen people died as a result of a storm.

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Protesters Clash With Police in France’s Sainte-Soline, 200 People Injured

PARIS (Sputnik) - At least 200 people were injured during clashes between protesters and law enforcement in the western French commune of Sainte-Soline, BFMTV reports.

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Wordle today: Here's the answer, hints for March 26

A close-up of a person playing Wordle on their smartphone.

Ah, Sunday at last. And what better way to relax than with a brand new Wordle? If you're struggling, don't worry — we're here with our daily hints and tips to help you figure out the solution.

If you prefer to just be told the answer, you can scroll to the end of this article for March 26's Wordle solution to be revealed. But if you'd rather work through it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans have even sprung up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you're after? Here's the Wordle answer for March 25.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that brings joy to your heart. But if what brings you joy is strategy, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Why are there two different Wordle answers some days?

Though usually Wordle will only accept one correct solution per day, occasionally it will rebel against the norm and deem two different answers acceptable. This is due to changes the New York Times made to Wordle after it acquired the puzzle game.

The Times has since added its own updated word list, so this should happen even less frequently than before. To avoid any confusion, it's a good idea to refresh your browser before getting stuck into a new puzzle.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Don't get yourself caught up in knots.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

Not today!

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter U.

What's the answer to Wordle today?

We're finally about to reveal the answer to today's Wordle, so get your guesses in now!

Are you ready?

The solution to Wordle #645 is...

UNTIE.

Don't feel discouraged if you didn't get it this time. The beauty of Wordle is that there's always a new one to try the next day, and we'll be here again with more helpful clues and hints.



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Israel’s Defense Minister Says Judicial Overhaul Must Be Stopped

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has called on the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the controversial judicial reform that has sparked major nationwide protests.

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Friday 24 March 2023

Mexico's Supreme Court Implements Freeze on Electoral Reform Effort Amid Legal Challenge

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - Mexico's Supreme Court has accepted the National Electoral Institute's (INE) claim on the unconstitutional nature of the presidential electoral reform and stopped all new provisions in related laws.

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Los Angeles Public School District Reaches 'Historic' Deal With Union Employees After 3-Day Strike

The deal will raise pay for bus drivers, custodians and other support staff after union workers went on strike for three days, resulting in the closure of the United States’ second-largest school system.

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Wordle today: Here's the answer, hints for March 25

A close-up of a person playing Wordle on a smartphone.

You made it! It's Saturday! And now it's time to celebrate the start of the weekend with today's Wordle. If you're struggling, don't worry — we're here with our daily hints and tips to help you figure out the solution.

If you prefer to just be told the answer, you can scroll to the end of this article for March 25's Wordle solution to be revealed. But if you'd rather work through it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans have even sprung up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you're after? Here's the Wordle answer for March 24.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that brings joy to your heart. But if what brings you joy is strategy, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Why are there two different Wordle answers some days?

Though usually Wordle will only accept one correct solution per day, occasionally it will rebel against the norm and deem two different answers acceptable. This is due to changes the New York Times made to Wordle after it acquired the puzzle game.

The Times has since added its own updated word list, so this should happen even less frequently than before. To avoid any confusion, it's a good idea to refresh your browser before getting stuck into a new puzzle.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

It's a democratic solution.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

Not today!

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter V.

What's the answer to Wordle today?

We're finally about to reveal the answer to today's Wordle, so get your guesses in now!

Are you ready?

The solution to Wordle #644 is...

VOTER.

Don't feel discouraged if you didn't get it this time. The beauty of Wordle is that there's always a new one to try the next day, and we'll be here again with more helpful clues and hints.



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Seymour Hersh: Biden Blew Up Pipelines Over German Foot-Dragging on Ukraine Aid

The journalist who exposed the US military’s My Lai massacre in Vietnam and its Abu Ghraib abuse scandal in Iraq now says the US elite’s "long-standing history" of being "disturbed by the Russian gas and oil sales to Western Europe" means it’s unsurprising Biden would intentionally sabotage its NATO ally’s energy security in order to weaken Moscow.

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Rwanda Releases Activist Rusesabagina From Prison - Senior US Administration Official

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Human rights activist Paul Rusesabagina, whose aid to refugees during the Rwandan Genocide inspired the film "Hotel Rwanda," has been released from prison after months of work by the Biden administration, a senior administration official told reporters.

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Biden Claims He Did Not Block Alaska Willow Project Because Oil Firm Would Win Court Fight

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden said he was counseled to not disapprove of the ConocoPhillips Oil project in Willow, Alaska as he could be defeated in court.

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Thursday 23 March 2023

Photos: North Korea Tests Underwater Drone That Spawns ‘Super-Scale Radioactive Tsunami’

A report by North Korean media suggests the country has made another big leap in protecting its sovereignty from any potential external threats.

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Police Swarm Rihanna’s Home After Man Flew Across the US to Propose to Her

That's one way to reject a man.

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Videos: Over 1 Million People Participate in French Protests Against Pension Reform

PARIS (Sputnik) - Over one million people participated in demonstrations against the pension reform bill across France, according to the French Interior Ministry, while unions give the estimate at over three million, French media reported Thursday.

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Mo’ Problems? Mo’ Money!

For his 2024 campaign, the ex-commander-in-chief now has a war chest that is reportedly worth tens of millions of dollars.

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Eyeing Russia And China, US Plans to Send Old War Planes to Middle East – Report

As the US ramps up its aggression towards its main targets in Moscow and Beijing, at least one retired general is complaining that American troops in the Middle East are being left with hand-me-down hardware.

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Wednesday 22 March 2023

Surprise, Surprise: US Claims It Played No Role in Nord Stream Blasts After Latest Hersh Revelations

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The United States continues to believe that the explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines were an act of sabotage and Washington had nothing to do with it, US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby.

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West Bringing World to Dangerous Line, Beyond Which There Is Nuclear Armageddon - Antonov

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US-led West, having decided to supply Ukraine with depleted uranium ammunition, is irrevocably bringing the world to a dangerous line, beyond which there is a nuclear Armageddon, Russian Ambassador in Washington Anatoly Antonov said.

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Israel May Reportedly Attack Iran If Uranium Enrichment Level Exceeds 60%

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Israeli government has reportedly told the United States and a number of European countries that it could launch a military strike on Iran if Tehran exceeds the level of uranium enrichment of 60%.

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Report: US Gave India 'Unprecedented' Intelligence Used in Border Clash With China

As the US continues providing Ukrainian nationalists with the intelligence they need to target Russian service members, a new report indicates Washington is now providing India with “actionable intelligence” to strike against China.

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Videos: Anti-War Activists Disrupt US Senate Hearing With Blinken, Call for Peace in Ukraine

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Wednesday to hear testimony from Secretary of State Antony Blinken was disrupted on several occasions by anti-war demonstrators who called on the chief US diplomat to push for peace in Ukraine.

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‘None of Us Are Safe’: How US Journo Was Hit With ‘Kremlin’ Label & Looped Into NSA Dragnet

In an exclusive interview with Sputnik News, Grayzone correspondant Anya Parampil said that by targeting both herself and “the most high-profile TV personality of our time,” the US government has “taken the War on Terror surveillance powers to really absurd lengths.”

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Tuesday 21 March 2023

Syrian Defense Ministry: Israel Carried Out 'Numerous' Strikes Against Aleppo Airport, Nearby Sites

Media reports indicated that Syrian air defense systems had been activated after four missiles were detected as incoming from the west of the nation. If confirmed, the Wednesday strike would mark the second incident this month in which Israel allegedly struck the Aleppo airport.

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Trump Blasts 'Fake' Report That He Knowingly Misled Lawyers Over Classified Docs Kept at Mar-a-Lago

Following the leak of a preliminary finding against Trump, his campaign wrote "this disinformation is on par with their breathless Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine and ‘no-collusion’ Mueller speculation, all of which were totally disproven."

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IMF Says Reached Staff-Level Agreement on $15.6 Billion Loan Program for Ukraine

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced that it has reached a staff-level agreement on a $15.6 billion loan program for Ukraine.

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Greek Parliamentary Elections to Be Held in May Amid Backlash Over Deadly Train Collision

ATHENS (Sputnik) - Parliamentary elections in Greece will be held in May, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Tuesday evening in an interview with Alpha TV, declining to name an exact date.

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Western Governments Must Prepare for Long-Term Conflict Amid Ukraine Crisis, Scholz Warns

Germany’s Scholz claimed in a recent interview that despite marching in lockstep with the Biden administration on the conflict in Ukraine, he continues to seek a peaceful resolution to hostilities.

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'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for March 22

A woman's hands holding a mobile phone playing 'Quordle'

If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for hints. There aren't just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you'll get what you need.

What is Quordle?

Quordle is a five-letter word guessing game similar to Wordle, except each guess applies letters to four words at the same time. You get nine guesses instead of six to correctly guess all four words. It looks like playing four Wordle games at the same time, and that is essentially what it is. But it's not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.

Is Quordle harder than Wordle?

Yes, though not diabolically so.

Where did Quordle come from?

Amid the Wordle boom of late 2021 and early 2022, when everyone was learning to love free, in-browser, once-a-day word guessing games, creator Freddie Meyer says he took inspiration from one of the first big Wordle variations, Dordle — the one where you essentially play two Wordles at once. He took things up a notch, and released Quordle on January 30. Meyer's creation was covered in The Guardian six days later, and now, according to Meyer, it attracts millions of daily users. Today, Meyer earns modest revenue from Patreon, where dedicated Quordle fans can donate to keep their favorite puzzle game running. 

How is Quordle pronounced?

“Kwordle.” It should rhyme with “Wordle,” and definitely should not be pronounced exactly like "curdle.”

Is Quordle strategy different from Wordle?

Yes and no.

Your starting strategy should be the same as with Wordle. In fact, if you have a favorite Wordle opening word, there’s no reason to change that here. We suggest something rich in vowels, featuring common letters like C, R, and N. But you do you.

After your first guess, however, you’ll notice things getting out of control if you play Quordle exactly like Wordle.

What should I do in Quordle that I don’t do in Wordle?

Solving a Wordle puzzle can famously come down to a series of single letter-change variations. If you’ve narrowed it down to “-IGHT,” you could guess “MIGHT” “NIGHT” “LIGHT” and “SIGHT” and one of those will probably be the solution — though this is also a famous way to end up losing in Wordle, particularly if you play on “hard mode.” In Quordle, however, this sort of single-letter winnowing is a deadly trap, and it hints at the important strategic difference between Wordle and Quordle: In Quordle, you can't afford to waste guesses unless you're eliminating as many letters as possible at all times. 

Guessing a completely random word that you already know isn't the solution, just to eliminate three or four possible letters you haven’t tried yet, is thought of as a desperate, latch-ditch move in Wordle. In Quordle, however, it's a normal part of the player's strategic toolset.

Is there a way to get the answer faster?

In my experience Quordle can be a slow game, sometimes dragging out longer than it would take to play Wordle four times. But a sort of blunt-force guessing approach can speed things up. The following strategy also works with Wordle if you only want the solution, and don’t care about having the fewest possible guesses:

Try starting with a series of words that puts all the vowels (including Y) on the board, along with some other common letters. We've had good luck with the three words: “NOTES,” “ACRID,” and “LUMPY.” YouTuber DougMansLand suggests four words: “CANOE,” “SKIRT,” “PLUMB,” and “FUDGY.”

Most of the alphabet is now eliminated, and you’ll only have the ability to make one or two wrong guesses if you use this strategy. But in most cases you’ll have all the information you need to guess the remaining words without any wrong guesses.

If strategy isn't helping, and you're still stumped, here are some hints:

Are there any double or triple letters in today’s Quordle words?

Two words have twice-occurring letters. One of these is a double letter.

Are any rare letters being used in today’s Quordle like Q or Z?

No.

What do today’s Quordle words start with?

F, A, S, and H.

What are the answers for today’s Quordle?

Are you sure you want to know?

There’s still time to turn back.

OK, you asked for it. The answers are:

  1. FAULT

  2. ADAGE

  3. SOOTH

  4. HABIT



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