Michael O'Sullivan
London
Bywire brings you Web3, crypto, blockchain, tokens, alts, & security news - backed on-chain, with a fake news detector. Truth, trust, and NOT financial advice!
Articles by Michael O'Sullivan
Mastering the Mac: The Ultimate Guide to Terminal Commands
LONDON (Bywire News) - Welcome, fellow Mac enthusiasts! Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your Mac? Whether you're a seasoned pro or a curious newbie, this guide will walk you through 50 of the most powerful Terminal commands that will elevate your Mac game. Let's get started on this exciting journey into the heart of macOS! The Terminal app in macOS is a gateway to the underlying Unix system.
Crypto Titans Clash! Hoskinson and Adam Back Debate SEC Policies and Crypto Legitimacy
Charles Hoskinson and Adam Back engage in a heated Twitter debate over SEC treatment of cryptocurrencies, contrasting the paths of Bitcoin, Cardano, and Ethereum, amidst discussions of regulatory standards and blockchain authenticity. LONDON (Bywire News) - In a recent captivating exchange on Twitter, the cryptocurrency community witnessed a thought-provoking debate between two influential figures in the blockchain world.
Tron: The Emerging Platform in Militant Financing Battles in Israel
LONDON (Bywire News) - A significant shift has been observed in the methods of financing militant groups from Hamas to Hezbollah, with Tron, a burgeoning crypto network, taking centre stage, surpassing its larger counterpart Bitcoin. This development marks a new phase in Israel's ongoing struggle against Iran-backed militant funding.
Richard Teng Takes Helm as CEO of Binance Following Changpeng Zhao's Departure Amid DOJ Settlement
LONDON (Bywire News) - In a pivotal shift within the cryptocurrency world, Richard Teng, previously the global head of regional markets at Binance, has ascended to the CEO position. This leadership change follows the resignation of Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, who stepped down in compliance with a settlement reached with the U.S. Department of Justice on November 21. Teng, embracing his new role with vigour, delineated his strategic vision for Binance in a blog post dated November 27.
Altcoin Market Braces for Impact as $650M in Token Unlocks Threaten to Disrupt Prices
LONDON (Bywire News) - The cryptocurrency market is currently experiencing a significant shift as several alternative coins (altcoins) brace for the release of a large amount of tokens, potentially impacting their market value, accordinglt to CoinTelegraph. This phenomenon, known as a 'token unlock', is a scheduled event where previously unavailable tokens become accessible, often leading to an increase in the asset's supply.
REVEALED: Yarl’s Wood Immigration Detainees Suffered in ‘Unacceptable’ Conditions During Record Heatwave
As the Home Office faces mounting criticism over its treatment of asylum seekers at Manston processing centre, a new investigation by Sascha Lavin for the Byline Intelligence Team paints a troubling picture of conditions at another notorious immigration removal detention centre this July Byline Times 1:36 PM on Friday, November 4, 2022 Awaiting verification As the Home Office faces mounting criticism over its treatment of asylum seekers at Manston processing centre, a new investigation by...
Financialisation: The Growth of British Economic Inequality
Thatcher's 'Big Bang' fundamentally restructured the UK economy – bidding up asset prices and pushing down wages and living standards, writes Thomas Perrett According to a recent Trades Union Congress report, bankers’ bonuses have risen twice as fast as real wages since the 2008 financial crisis.
‘Heightening Tensions from the Far-Right’: Braverman’s Dangerous Asylum Approach
Campaigners and experts warn that the Home Secretary's rhetoric serves to undermine the human rights and safety of people in need Suella Braverman, reinstated as the UK’s Home Secretary, told Parliament this week that “the British people deserve to know which party is serious about stopping the invasion on our southern coast”. She said 40,000 people have arrived on the south coast this year alone, some of them facilitated by gangs and some of them gang members themselves.
‘Difficult Decisions’: The Ultimate Price We Pay for Austerity
With more cuts to public services expected from Rishi Sunak's Government, Rachel Morris tracks the outcomes of the controversial policy since 2010 In the first speech as Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak said that he would “place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this Government’s agenda" and that this would mean "difficult decisions to come”. “Difficult decisions” is widely understood as more austerity – the macroeconomic model aimed at balancing public budgets.
Does Greater South Asian Representation in Government Equate to Improved Equality in Society?
In light of Rishi Sunak's election as the UK's first British-Indian Prime Minister, Sian Norris digs into the evidence on outcomes for people from a South Asian background Rishi Sunak has become the first Prime Minister from an ethnic minority background since Disraeli and the first person from a South Asian background to get the keys to Number 10, in what is a historic moment for representation in politics.
‘Donations are Really, Really Down’: Mounting Concerns Over Brexit Compounding Cost of Living Crisis
Organisations are worried that the effort to help those struggling this winter is being hampered by supply chain issues “I’m now getting calls from people, just individuals, saying ‘I’m really desperate, can you help me get food?’,” Chris Wilkie, co-founder and chair of Plan Zheroes, told Byline Times. The charity uses an online platform to distribute surplus food from supermarkets and local businesses to charities.
Meet Signor Meloni - Italy's first woman PM wants to be 'Mr President'
Bywire News 4:22 PM on Friday, October 28, 2022 Awaiting verification ROME - Italy's first woman prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, wants to be called "mister", a government circular showed on Friday. The right-wing Meloni, who took office last weekend after victory at a Sept. 25 election, had already angered feminists when she announced she would use the masculine form of her official title: the president of the council of ministers.
REVEALED: The Staggering Rises in Rent Shortfalls Caused by Housing Benefit Cuts
With the cost of living crisis pushing up rents and Local Housing Allowance frozen since 2020, more and more of the poorest private tenants are struggling to make ends meet Housing benefit cuts are squeezing private tenants according to Byline Times’ analysis of Government data – with some of the most severely-impacted cities experiencing a staggering 75% rise in the number of people receiving the benefit who are facing rent shortfalls over the past two years.
Government Rushing Ahead with Voter ID Next Year Despite Warning It Poses ‘Significant Risk to Safe Elections’
David Hencke reports on the controversial move to make voters bring photographic ID when they turn up to vote in next year's May local elections in England The Government is planning to rush ahead with introducing photographic voter ID in time for next May’s local elections – despite a warning from administrators running the process that the timetable involved is "likely to introduce significant risk to safe election delivery".
Rishi Sunak is a Prime Minister Who is Scared of His Own Citizens
The UK's new Prime Minister leads a Government which is terrified of consulting the very people he was appointed to lead, writes Adam Bienkov It has become a cliche to talk about the ‘Westminster bubble’ and decry our politicians as being dangerously out of touch with the public. While some are, the average backbench Member of Parliament probably has a better sense of what the public really thinks about the world than most commentators will ever have.
The Causes and Consequences of Political Chaos: MPs Versus Party Members
The genesis of the current chaos lies in the main political parties deciding to allow their members to choose their leaders, writes David Keys The current chaos in British politics has intriguing historical roots. The fundamental problem is, arguably, a serious contradiction between the political parties' leadership election procedures and Britain's unwritten constitution.
Justice System ‘Inadequate’ in Face of Rising Fraud
MPs have raised serious concerns that the criminal justice system cannot cope with the increase in fraud cases – with fraud now making up 40% of reported crimes.
Britain and the World is Falling Behind on Climate Change, as COP27 Approaches
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shaken an already precarious consensus on climate action, says Thomas Perrett Byline Times 4:46 PM on Monday, October 17, 2022 Awaiting verification Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shaken an already precarious consensus on climate action, says Thomas Perrett The COP26 conference on climate change ended on a controversial note November.
There’s No Escaping War, Wherever You Are in Ukraine
Far away from the front line, Chris York reports from Western Ukraine where residents fear both the march of Vladimir Putin, nuclear war and winter Nestled in the rolling and forested hills that mark the beginnings of the Carpathian mountains in western Ukraine, the spa resort town of Skhidnytsa and its 38 natural springs and 17 wells are about as far from the front lines as it’s possible to be without leaving the war-torn country.
Government Losing Control Over Public Spending, Report Warns
The method used to track state expenditure is now ‘increasingly unreliable and incomplete’, reports David Hencke The Government is losing control over managing and recording public expenditure in Whitehall, local government and the devolved nations, a new report reveals today.
Britain on the Brink: ‘It’s Not Just Liz Truss: it’s Brexit’
In his editorial from the October 2022 print edition of Byline Times, Peter Jukes argues that Liz Truss is ushering in the final phase of the Brexit project It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. When David Cameron took over as leader of the Conservatives in 2005, he wanted to transform its electoral reputation as the ‘nasty party’.
Britannia Unchained Review: Imperial Nostalgia and the Unravelling of Social Progress
Sam Bright unpicks the Truss-Kwarteng manifesto, finding a worrying obsession with Britain’s distant economic past It has been little more than a month since Liz Truss and her Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng jumped into the cockpit, and already the British economy has been sent into a tailspin.
Chris Mason’s Johnson Gaffe Risks Trashing the BBC’s Reputation
Patrick Howse reveals how a false BBC News alert that 100 Conservative MPs were backing Boris Johnson's new leadership bid spread quickly around the world For several years now the BBC’s domestic political coverage has been posing a danger to the BBC’s reputation as a reliable and impartial provider of news. And as the Conservative Party tied itself in more knots over who would be the UK’s next prime minister, further damage was done.
Liz Truss’ Economic Shock Doctrine Will Only Help the Richest
The Chancellor has announced a series of massive tax cuts for high earners and corporations, which have seen the pound slump and the value of Government bonds fall. Why is the Prime Minister risking turning an economic crisis into a disaster? “Lower taxes lead to economic growth, there’s no doubt in my mind about that", said Liz Truss ahead of her Chancellor announcing the biggest series of tax cuts for high earners in decades.
Fortnite’s Epic Games Launches First NFT Game
LONDON (Bywire News) - In a major development for the developers of Fortnite, Epic Games has announced their first NFT game to appear on their marketplace. Although only in beta mode, they say it already has more than a million players. Blankos Block Party, launched on the Epic Games Store and developed by Mythical Games, is the first Web3 title published by Epic Games. Previously, it was available from Mythical Games’ own website after the launch of its open beta in December 2020.
‘Liz Truss’ Premiership Will Spell Disaster for Net Zero’
A worrying environmental record and the appointment of climate change sceptics to the Cabinet doesn't bode well for the UK's climate commitments under the new Prime Minister, argues Thomas Perrett Despite promising to “double-down” on Britain’s legally-binding net zero commitments, Prime Minister Liz Truss is likely to significantly impede the country’s progress in decarbonising the economy. Her first speech as Prime Minister made no mention of expanding renewable energy or home insulation.
What Does the New Prime Minister Mean For Britain’s Oligarchy Problem?
Oliver Bullough considers how a changing of the guard in Downing Street may influence attempts to crack down on kleptocrats Byline Times 11:30 AM on Thursday, September 15, 2022 Awaiting verification Oliver Bullough considers how a changing of the guard in Downing Street may influence attempts to crack down on kleptocrats The below text was first published on Oliver Bullough’s ‘Coda Oligarchy’ newsletter. You can sign up here.
Mini-Budget Opacity Resembled ‘Failing State With Barely Functioning Tax System’
The economic turmoil following Kwasi Kwarteng’s statement showed why tax transparency is essential, argue Andrew Baker and Richard Murphy Byline Times 11:41 AM on Friday, October 7, 2022 Awaiting verification The economic turmoil following Kwasi Kwarteng’s statement showed why tax transparency is essential, argue Andrew Baker and Richard Murphy The Government’s now-notorious ‘mini-budget’ of 23 September is a salutary lesson to governments around the world about what can go wrong when a...
‘The Iceberg Heading Straight Towards the Government is Housing Market Crash’
Experts explain how ‘the wheels could come off’ the British economy as a result of Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng's reckless approach, reports Sam Bright UK markets have lost $500 billion in combined value since Liz Truss became Prime Minister three weeks ago, Bloomberg reported yesterday. Thanks to the collapse of the pound, which has gone from $1.17 to $1.07 in the space of the last month, this financial hit is roughly equivalent to £350 million lost every 21 minutes from UK markets.
Elite Rule: Liz Truss’ Socially Exclusive Cabinet
Sam Bright examines the CVs of the new top Government appointments and finds they very much contradict the Prime Minister’s rhetoric of ‘meritocracy’ “We will transform Britain into an aspiration nation… where everyone, everywhere has the opportunities they deserve.” These were the words of new Prime Minister Liz Truss, as she delivered her opening address to the British people outside 10 Downing Street.
‘Britain is Sleepwalking into Societal Collapse’
The sacking of the Chancellor is a symptom of the escalating incoherence of Liz Truss' Government – not a sign that it is changing course to become more coherent, writes Nafeez Ahmed I have spent two decades studying the dynamics of social crisis and societal collapse.
Britain’s Stark Choice Ahead: Transformation or Collapse
The country is following a familiar pattern of environmental, energy and economic-driven state failure – if the next government refuses to break with neoliberal orthodoxy, it will only accelerate this downwards trajectory, writes Nafeez Ahmed Five years ago, I warned in a study that Europe faces an increasing risk of state failure due to the escalation of interlinked environmental, energy and economic crises – and I found an intriguing pattern: states begin to fail within 15 years of losing...
Surviving Six Months Under Bombs: Inside Ukraine’s Southern Fortress of Mykolaiv
Tom Mutch reports from the frontline city of Mykolaiv, which avoided capture by the Russian Army and is now at the centre of a Ukrainian counter-offensive "All we want is for Russia and all Russians to f*ck off and get out of our country," Ira Hadetska, a 28-year-old legal mediator told me as she sat nursing a latte in a café in central Mykolaiv.
What the Home Secretary’s Immigration Plans Will Mean for Vulnerable Migrants and Modern Slavery Victims
Sian Norris considers the implications of Suella Braverman's potential plans for migrant people crossing the Channel The Home Secretary Suella Braverman used her first conference in her new role to propose more sweeping changes to the UK's asylum system, going even further than April's Nationality and Borders Act.
Conservative MPs Fear Liz Truss is Pushing the UK Economy to Disaster
The Prime Minister's Brexit-driven ideology is pushing the UK economy off a cliff and her own MPs fear they may not be able to stop her, reports Adam Bienkov The pound is plunging, Government borrowing costs are going through the roof and the Bank of England has spent tens of billions in order to stop a run on UK pension funds. Meanwhile, mortgage companies are pulling their products as traders warn darkly that the UK is on the edge of a Lehman Brothers-style collapse.
Crisis and Myth: Why Politicians Must Stop Comparing the UK Economy to ‘Running a Household’
Jack Mosse unpicks the flawed understanding of national debt that has pervaded the Conservative leadership contest and Tory economic policy for a number of years To fund her tax and spend plans, Liz Truss has promised that she will extend the period over which we would need to pay back our COVID-19 debt – to which Rishi Sunak has responded that there is no such thing as ‘COVID’ debt.
How Tory ‘Agents’ are Seeking to Destroy the BBC
LONDON (Bywire News) - Is the government attempting to take control of the BBC? That’s the shocking implication from a speech by former Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis as she accused Sir Robbie Gibb, of being an agent for the Tory party inside the BBC. Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival she raised concerns about the increasingly close relationship between the BBC and the Conservatives.
Government ‘Undermining’ Asylum System by Rapid Removal of Albanian Migrants
Albanians crossing the English Channel will face 'fast tracked deportation' and campaigners warn this could undermine our asylum system, reports Sian Norris The Government has announced a new collaboration with Albania to rapidly remove individuals attempting to enter the UK via irregular means, such as crossing the Channel from France. The press release does not state the timescales that would constitute “rapid removal” and says that fast-tracking deportation will take place “wherever possible”.
How Can We Guard Against the Climate Crisis When Defence is Our Biggest Carbon Emitter?
Iain Overton examines the Ministry of Defence’s carbon footprint, and asks whether plans to boost military spending are compatible with the Government’s net zero targets On 7 February 1968, the New Zealand journalist Peter Arnett quoted a US major over the Vietnam Battle of Bến Tre. “It became necessary to destroy the town to save it,” said the war-hardened officer. Those words became legend: a sort of haiku on the madness of war.
Resistance Grows to Liz Truss’ Plans to ‘Rob’ Workers of their Rights
If the Conservative leadership frontrunner gets her way and imposes new laws on trade unions it won’t stop wildcat and unofficial strikes, warn union sources The right to bargain collectively will exist only on paper if Conservative leadership favourite Liz Truss introduces ‘minimum service levels’ on critical national infrastructure including transport, a leading human rights group has warned.
Cost of Living Crisis Hits Black and Minority Ethnic People Hardest
New research exposes how black and minority ethnic households are more likely to be in deep poverty and fuel poverty than their white peers, report Sian Norris More than a quarter of people living in ‘deep poverty’ are black and minority ethnic, despite only making up 15% of the UK population, new analysis from the Runnymede Trust reveals today.
Liz Truss: A Prime Minister for the Super-Rich
The number one priority of the frontrunner to succeed Boris Johnson is protecting the profits of energy bosses pushing millions into poverty, reports Adam Bienkov There was a highly revealing moment during last night’s Conservative Party leadership hustings when Liz Truss was asked about the huge profits now being racked up by energy companies.
Trussonomics Will Worsen Inflation and Cost of Living Inequalities, Say Top Economists
Sascha Lavin picks the brains of leading thinkers on the economic plans of the Conservative leadership frontrunner Liz Truss, the frontrunner to be the UK’s next prime minister, recently told the Spectator that her programme of tax cuts and defence spending pledges – estimated to cost as much as £50 billion – would be paid for by accumulating a debt to be written-off over a long period, “like a war debt”.
How a Cost of Living Crisis Fuels a Healthcare Crisis
Mental and physical health are all at risk when energy costs go up again, reports Sian Norris Even as temperatures soar in the summer’s second heatwave, thoughts are turning to the dangers of the coming winter. The cost of living crisis, which is already affecting millions of households in the UK, is set to worsen. It's now predicted that, in January 2023, energy bills will hit £4,200 a year for the average home. This equates to monthly bills rising to £341, up from today’s average of £164 a month.
Turning the Chapter on the Johnson Years: My Wish List for our Next Prime Minister
Former diplomat Alexandra Hall Hall explores how the UK could start rebuilding public trust in its institutions and our democracy following a turbulent few years Byline Times 10:53 AM on Friday, August 5, 2022 Awaiting verification Former diplomat Alexandra Hall Hall explores how the UK could start rebuilding public trust in its institutions and our democracy following a turbulent few years One problem which many critics have identified in the US electoral system is the way the primary system...
The Lionesses Roar: What Next for Equality in Football?
Carrie Dunn, author of a history of women's football, speaks to experts about gender equality in the sport – and finds that the issues within the game are found across society Where there’s success, there’s talk of money. England’s Lionesses hadn’t even packed away their gold medals after winning UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 before the murmurs began about their salaries. After all, the men’s senior team haven’t won anything since 1966 and they get paid millions. Why shouldn’t the women get the same?
How ‘Claps for Carers’ Didn’t Result in Better Conditions or Pay
The summer of strikes has come to social care – with striking care workers fighting for better pay and against precarity, reports Thomas Perrett It may be rail workers who hit the headlines in the summer of strikes. Over in Bristol and North Somerset, however, a smaller but equally forceful strike movement has been gaining momentum: the care workers resisting cuts to wages and sick pay and working hours – as well as fighting back against controversial 'fire and rehire' practices.
How Ukraine’s Southern Offensive Could Lead to the End of the War
Brian Frydenborg looks at the routes open to the Ukrainian Army if they succeed against Russian forces on the Kherson front, leading to an isolated Crimea and pushback in the Donbas Back in April, I noted the possibility that both Western weapons in Ukrainian hands could be a huge threat to the Russian Navy and that Kherson could fall to Ukraine. Both would threaten Russia’s eight-year occupation of Crimea.
Is Johnson’s Plan for the House of Lords the Greatest Attack on British Democracy?
Britain's parliamentary democracy cannot allow one-party dominance in the way the Prime Minister intends for the upper chamber, says barrister Gareth Roberts The news of Boris Johnson’s apparent desire to fill the House of Lords with compliant Conservative peers who would be financially, professionally and legally obligated to him and his agenda is the latest attack on the fundamental democratic structures by a governing party that is becoming increasingly despotic in everything it does.
Kremlin’s False Narratives in Ukraine: A Glossary, 2022
Bywire News 7:11 AM on Thursday, July 14, 2022 Awaiting verification “Hugely damaging false narratives” On July 11, 2022, over 40 United Nations states issued a joint statement condemning Russia’s attempts to justify the military invasion of Ukraine with false narratives. The statement was the organization’s reply to the Russian Federation’s continued efforts to spread misinformation and lies about Ukraine at an informal meeting at the UN Security Council.
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