Author: bibhuti

The government has published its final set of statistics related to the Help to Buy equity loan scheme. According to the data, between 1 April and 31 May 2023, 106 properties were bought with an equity loan, down 99% from the same period in 2022. In the scheme’s entire period between 1 April 2013 and 31 May 2023, 387,195 properties were purchased with an equity loan, of which 328,346 were bought by first-time buyers. The total value of these equity loans amounts to £24.7bn, and the combined value of the properties sold under the scheme totals £109.2bn. Help to Buy…

Miriam just needs a little lift – for her legs and also for her spirits – from someone good with their hands to make a little wheelchair Source link

A new documentary is showcasing how Bitcoin, beyond its role as a digital money, played a crucial role in verifying Guatemala’s most recent presidential elections.The documentary, entitled “Immutable Democracy,” delves into the innovative use of OpenTimestamps, a tool developed by Bitcoin Core developer Peter Todd, and implemented by Guatemalan tech startup Simple Proof.OpenTimestamps utilizes cryptographic timestamps on the Bitcoin blockchain, ensuring the immutability of key documents related to the country’s elections. This approach, leveraging hash functions and decentralized blockchain technology, provides a robust defense against fraud and tampering.”The reason why Bitcoin is useful for elections… is because all of these…

Np-Pt is made up of interconnected small-diameter ligaments, or strands, of platinum as small as two nanometers (10-9 m) in diameter with tiny pores in between. The small nature of the platinum ligaments and the numerous tiny pores improve the structural stability of the material and its energy conductivity, as indicated by the graph illustrating current density, or the amount of charge flowing through a particular area in a given time, and relative length change. Credit: Energy Materials and Devices, Tsinghua University Press Actuators are common machine components that convert energy into movement, like the muscles in the human body,…

Those with a lottery ticket and a TN38 0HZ postcode were awarded a £1,000 win in one of the fundraising lottery’s daily prize draws. The winning postcode belongs to the People’s Postcode Lottery players who live in the Maze Hill area of Hastings. Subscriptions to the postcode lottery supports a range of charities across the UK. A minimum of 33 per cent of the ticket prices goes to charity. The People’s Postcode Lottery manages lotteries for 20 charities, with each one having one draw a month. The lottery is hugely popular nationally and supports “a wide range of charities and…

Location : The M6 southbound entry slip at junction J3 . Reason : Road traffic collision. Status : Currently Active. Time To Clear : The event is expected to clear between 07:00 and 07:15 on 18 November 2023. Return To Normal : Normal traffic conditions are expected between 07:00 and 07:15 on 18 November 2023. Lanes Closed : All lanes are closed. Source link

Image Credit: Sara Jaye Weiss/Shutterstock Drew Barrymore, 48, is not afraid of getting older! The talk show host recently opened up about plastic surgery, beauty, and getting older during a November 16 interview with PEOPLE. “I haven’t done anything, and I’m going to maintain that as long as possible,” Drew explained to the outlet. Although the mom-of-two doesn’t see herself going under the knife, she explained that she doesn’t judge those who do. “I have zero judgment for anyone doing anything,” she added. “But I don’t see myself resorting to it.” The 48-year-old told the mag that she even looks forward…

The tool can be used on its own or integrated into existing AI tools like ChatGPT and online conversational chatbots. The hope is that Vulavula, which means “speak” in Xitsonga, will make accessible those tools that don’t currently support African languages. The lack of AI tools that work for African languages and recognize African names and places excludes African people from economic opportunities, says Moiloa, CEO and cofounder of Lelapa AI. For her, working to build Africa-centric AI solutions is a way to help others in Africa harness the immense potential benefits of AI technologies. “We are trying to solve…

The once-abundant funding sources have vanished, casting a shadow over the industry’s future. Fintechs must reassess their operational blueprints – growth at any cost is no longer appealing to investors. As we find ourselves in 2023, the repercussions of these seismic shifts are growing increasingly apparent. The industry teeters on the brink of another transformative decade, poised to harness the potential of emerging technologies and trends that will continue to shape the course of financial evolution. Sustainability is the new go-to-market In a challenging market, innovation is still crucial and must be balanced with risk mitigation to ensure sustainable growth.…

Are these house price rises a short-term blip or a sign of things to come for the UK property market?The key aspect affecting house prices in the UK is the cost-of-living crisis and higher interest rates. However, the Bank of England has halted interest rates for two months in a row. While inflation still sits at 6.7%, it is expected to fall in October and potentially drop below 4% by the middle of 2024. In addition, some forecasts predict the interest rate to fall to 4.75% by the end of 2024.These predictions indicate that the UK economy will become more stable…