Is AI reshaping the creative landscape?
Today on The Stream: We paint a picture of how AI is reshaping the creative landscape. Is it still art if it wasn’t made by a human? And if art is truly about creative expression, who gets to decide what counts? From text-to-image generators to AI-composed art, these technologies are being embraced, critiqued, and sometimes feared. We hear from creators and critics grappling with the rapidly changing landscape. Presenter: Stefanie Dekker Guests:Molly Crabapple – Artist and writerHassan Ragab – Designer and artistSofia Crespo – Visual artist Adblock test (Why?)
DR Congo strips ex-President Kabila of immunity
Former leader accused of ‘treason, war crimes, [and] crimes against humanity’ for his support of M23 rebels in east. The Senate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has voted overwhelmingly in favour of lifting the immunity of ex-President Joseph Kabila. In a secret ballot on Thursday night, the parliament voted by 88 votes to five to make Kabila liable for prosecution. The former head of state has been accused of treason for alleged links to the M23 armed group, which has taken control of swaths of territory in eastern DRC with the backing of Rwanda. Authorities said earlier this month that Kinshasa had amassed clear evidence implicating him in “treason, war crimes, crimes against humanity and participation in an insurrectionary movement”. Kabila, who denies any ties to the rebel group, stepped down after almost 20 years in power in 2018, yielding to protests. However, he enjoyed immunity from prosecution thanks to an honorific title as senator for life. Earlier this month, the attorney general of the Congolese army demanded that honour be lifted. “The Senate authorises the prosecution and lifting of Joseph Kabila’s immunity,” Senate speaker Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde said after the vote. Advertisement Complications Kabila has not commented on his immunity being lifted. Last year he denied allegations from his successor President Felix Tshisekedi that he was supporting the rebels and “preparing an insurrection” in eastern DRC. Tshisekedi has in the meantime suspended Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) and security forces have raided several of the former leader’s properties. PPRD Deputy Secretary-General Ferdinand Kambere told the AFP news agency that Kabila’s prosecution is pure “theatre” to distract the Congolese people from debates on the conflict and corruption in the country. The former president has been outside the Central African country since late 2023, mostly in South Africa. However, he has threatened to return to help the country resolve the continuing fighting in eastern areas, as well as making increasingly vocal criticism of Tshisekedi. A return to the country by Kabila could complicate the bid to end the rebellion. Reports in April that he was in the east have not been confirmed. Despite DRC’s army and M23 agreeing to work towards a truce earlier this month, fighting continues in the eastern province of South Kivu. The long-running tensions in eastern DRC flared into conflict in January when M23 captured the city of Goma, followed by the seizure of Bukavu in February. The group is seeking control of the vast mineral wealth in the eastern areas and has ambitions to take power in Kinshasa. Amid the ongoing fighting, the army and armed groups announced peace talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, in early May. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Borders and ballots: Why Essequibo is controversial in Venezuela’s election
However, the case has been slowly winding its way through the international court since 2018. And the Maduro government views the UN body as a tool of foreign interference, particularly for his rivals in the US. Maduro’s supporters point to the fact that, in 2015, the US oil giant ExxonMobil discovered vast offshore fields near Essequibo. The company has continued to explore the contested waters in search of more oil and gas deposits. For Rivas, the 2015 discovery “rang alarm bells”, leading him to fear further US incursions into the disputed territory. “It’s absolutely terrible because, behind this, there’s an aspiration to control mineral wealth, oil, sources of fossil energy and even the water wealth that exists in all of that territory,” Rivas told Al Jazeera. To him, sovereignty over Essequibo is paramount, and the Venezuelan flag is a symbolic reminder of its importance. Since 1863, the yellow, blue and red banner has featured stars to represent the seven provinces that fought for independence from Spain. But in 2006, a new star joined the flag — one to symbolise Essequibo. Oliver Rivas, in green with his arm in a sling, is a candidate to represent Essequibo in Venezuela’s elections [Courtesy of Oliver Rivas] Experts, however, say Venezuela faces the possibility of backlash for using tools like the regional elections to assert control over Essequibo. Sadio Garavini di Turno, a Venezuelan political analyst, used to serve as the country’s ambassador to Guyana from 1980 to 1984. He considers Maduro’s actions as not only “frivolous” but irresponsible, given the ongoing proceedings before the International Court of Justice. “We’re in a bad light with the court and the magistrates,” the ex-diplomat said. He also questions Maduro’s sabre-rattling in the region. While Venezuela’s military dwarfs that of Guyana, the former British colony has powerful allies, including the UK and the US. Any full-fledged military takeover, Garavini di Turno argued, “would be a huge stupidity”. “If they take forceful action, they would have the international community, starting with the United States, against them,” he said of Maduro and his allies. “It would give the community, particularly the United States, an excuse to intervene.” Already, in March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Venezuela it would face “consequences for aggressive actions”. The impact of the upcoming vote on Essequibo is so far unclear. Fernandez, the political analyst, said even details about who can even vote have been hazy. “It’s deliberately opaque,” Fernandez said. “Opacity is going to be the norm in the upcoming electoral processes.” Adblock test (Why?)
Trump holds swanky dinner for meme coin investors, says ‘Biden administration persecuted crypto innovators’
President Donald Trump hosted a swanky dinner last night for the top investors of his $TRUMP meme coin project, telling them “The Biden administration persecuted crypto innovators and we’re bringing them back into the USA where they belong,” reports said. The event at the Trump National Golf Club Washington DC in Potomac Falls, Va., was open to the 220 largest buyers of Trump’s meme coin, with the top 25 getting “an ultra-exclusive private VIP reception with the President.” The Wall Street Journal, citing blockchain analytics firm Inca Digital, reported that around $148 million worth of $TRUMP was purchased by investors to win seats at the dinner, where guests had to pass background checks. “The Biden administration persecuted crypto innovators, and we’re bringing them back into the U.S.A. where they belong,” it quoted Trump telling the audience Thursday night, who dined on filet mignon and halibut. TRUMP CRYPTO CHIEF SAYS WE ARE IN THE ‘GOLDEN AGE’ FOR DIGITAL ASSETS, ‘CLEARING THE DECK’ OF BIDEN BARRIERS Protesters gathered outside the club holding signs that said “stop crypto corruption” and “no corrupt fools.” “The past administration made your lives miserable,” Trump was also quoted by the New York Times as saying, in reference to President Biden’s regulations against cryptocurrency. “There is a lot of sense in crypto. A lot of common sense in crypto,” Trump reportedly added. “And we’re honored to be working on helping everybody here.” According to participants’ posts on social media, Trump spoke for about half an hour before dancing to the song “YMCA.” Despite the White House insisting that Trump would be attending the event “in his personal time,” he stood behind a lectern with the presidential seal. HOUSE DEMOCRATS STORM OUT OF CRYPTOCURRENCY HEARING, ALLEGING TRUMP ‘CORRUPTION’ Three days before Trump took office on Jan. 20, he announced the creation of the $TRUMP meme coin, describing as a way for his supporters to “have fun.” Trump’s meme coin saw an initial spike in value, followed by a steep drop. Its creators, which include an entity controlled by the Trump Organization, have made hundreds of millions of dollars by collecting fees on trades, according to the Associated Press. Critics have raised concerns that the president’s connection with cryptocurrency ventures could open the door to conflicts of interest and influence peddling. TRUMP LAUNCHES HIS OWN CRYPTOCURRENCY MEME COIN When asked by a reporter Thursday if “anyone in the White House or in the White House counsel’s office advise the president against holding this sweepstakes, whereby people who spent the most money on his Trump coin would then have access to the president at this time”, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump “is abiding by all conflict-of-interest laws that are applicable to the president.” “And I think everybody, the American public, believe it’s absurd for anyone to insinuate that this president is profiting off of the presidency,” she added. “This president was incredibly successful before giving it all up to serve our country publicly. And not only has he lost wealth, but he also almost lost his life. He has sacrificed a lot to be here, and to suggest otherwise is, frankly, completely absurd.” The biggest investor in Trump’s meme coin, Chinese billionaire Justin Sun – who spent more than $40 million — told the New York Times outside of the event Thursday that “I’m very excited to meet him and discuss about crypto’s future.” Among those protesting outside the golf club were Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon. “This is the crypto corruption club,” Merkley was quoted by the Times as saying. “This is like the Mount Everest of corruption.” FOX Business’ Eric Revell and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Judge temporarily pauses Trump move to cancel Harvard student visa policy after lawsuit
A court has temporarily paused the Trump administration’s move to cancel Harvard’s student visa program. Harvard filed suit against the Trump administration over the policy, and a judge granted its request for a temporary restraining order to preserve status quo while the case plays out in court. Judge Allison Burroughs, a 2014 Obama appointee, set a hearing for 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday in Boston federal court. Harvard said the policy will affect more than 7,000 visa holders — nearly a quarter of the student body — and is a “blatant violation of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act,” per its court filing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) moved to terminate the program after Harvard allegedly failed to provide it with the extensive behavioral records of student visa holders the department requested. DHS offered Harvard 72 hours on Thursday to come into compliance with the request and re-enter into the visa program. As of now, Harvard may no longer enroll foreign students in the 2025–2026 school year, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status to reside in the U.S. before the next academic year begins. University President Alan Garber said a motion for a temporary restraining order to put the policy on pause while their court case against it plays out would be filed next. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM TERMINATING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ LEGAL STATUS “It is the latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the “ideology” of its faculty and students,” Harvard wrote in its complaint. The records requested include any footage of protest activity involving students on visas and the disciplinary records of all students on visas in the past five years. Requested records also include footage or documentation of illegal, dangerous or violent activity by student visa holders, any records of threats or the deprivation of rights of other students or university personnel. Harvard called the new policy “pernicious” and accused the Trump administration of departing from “decades of settled practice and come without rational explanation.” It claimed the policy was “carried out abruptly without any of the robust procedures the government has established to prevent just this type of upheaval to thousands of students’ lives.” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in response to the suit, “This lawsuit seeks to kneecap the President’s constitutionally vested powers under Article II.” “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments,” she said. “The Trump administration is committed to restoring common sense to our student visa system; no lawsuit, this or any other, is going to change that.” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on Thursday that in April, she requested the records related to visa-holding students, and Harvard’s counsel did not provide adequate information to meet the demand. After the DHS general counsel asked again for the information, Harvard provided an “insufficient, incomplete and unacceptable response,” she said. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BEGINS NEW WAVE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISA REVOCATIONS: ‘NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO A VISA’ “Consequences must follow to send a clear signal to Harvard and all universities that want to enjoy the privilege of enrolling foreign students, that the Trump administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of antisemitism in society and campuses,” said Noem. In April, Harvard took action to prepare for the potential of the drastic policy change, announcing it would allow foreign students to accept admission to both Harvard and a foreign university as backup amid the Trump administration’s threats to move to block Harvard’s authorization to host them. Typically, students must accept enrollment at Harvard by May 1 and cannot commit to another university. At least a dozen Harvard students have had their authorization to study in the U.S. revoked over campus protest activity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress Tuesday the administration has probably revoked “thousands” of student visas by this point and would “proudly” revoke more. It is the latest development in the brewing battle between the Trump administration and some of the nation’s most prestigious universities. The administration has already frozen close to $3 billion in federal funding to the university, largely dedicated to research, and launched investigations across the departments of Justice, Education and Health and Human Services. They claim Harvard has not adequately responded to campus antisemitism in protests or moved to root out diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Fox News’ Bill Mears contributed to this report.
Harvard sues Trump administration over termination of student visa program
Harvard is taking the Trump administration to court over its decision to terminate the university’s student visa program. Harvard said the policy will affect more than 7,000 visa holders — nearly a quarter of the student body — and is a “blatant violation of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act,” per its court filing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) moved to terminate the program after Harvard allegedly failed to provide it with the extensive behavioral records of student visa holders the department requested. DHS offered Harvard 72 hours on Thursday to come into compliance with the request and re-enter into the visa program. As of now, Harvard may no longer enroll foreign students in the 2025–2026 school year, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status to reside in the U.S. before the next academic year begins. University President Alan Garber said a motion for a temporary restraining order to put the policy on pause while their court case against it plays out would be filed next. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM TERMINATING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ LEGAL STATUS “It is the latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the “ideology” of its faculty and students,” Harvard wrote in its complaint. The records requested include any footage of protest activity involving students on visas and the disciplinary records of all students on visas in the past five years. Requested records also include footage or documentation of illegal, dangerous or violent activity by student visa holders, any records of threats or the deprivation of rights of other students or university personnel. Harvard called the new policy “pernicious” and accused the Trump administration of departing from “decades of settled practice and come without rational explanation.” It claimed the policy was “carried out abruptly without any of the robust procedures the government has established to prevent just this type of upheaval to thousands of students’ lives.” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on Thursday that in April she requested the records related to visa-holding students and Harvard’s counsel did not provide adequate information to meet the demand. After the DHS general counsel asked again for the information, Harvard provided an “insufficient, incomplete and unacceptable response,” she said. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BEGINS NEW WAVE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISA REVOCATIONS: ‘NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO A VISA’ “Consequences must follow to send a clear signal to Harvard and all universities that want to enjoy the privilege of enrolling foreign students, that the Trump administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of antisemitism in society and campuses,” said Noem. In April, Harvard took action to prepare for the potential of the drastic policy change, announcing it would allow foreign students to accept admission to both Harvard and a foreign university as backup amid the Trump administration’s threats to move to block Harvard’s authorization to host them. Typically, students must accept enrollment at Harvard by May 1 and can’t commit to another university. At least a dozen Harvard students have had their authorization to study in the U.S. revoked over campus protest activity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress Tuesday the administration has probably revoked “thousands” of student visas by this point and would “proudly” revoke more. It’s the latest development in the brewing battle between the Trump administration and some of the nation’s most prestigious universities. The administration already has frozen close to $3 billion in federal funding to the university, largely dedicated to research, and launched investigations across the departments of Justice, Education and Health and Human Services. They claim Harvard has not adequately responded to campus antisemitism in protests or moved to root out diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices.
VIDEO: Gang-rape accused flash victory sign, ‘celebrate’ in massive procession after being released on bail
In a shocking development, seven accused in the 2024 Hangal gang-rape case, after getting bail, took out a roadshow and engaged in celebrations. A disturbing video of the celebrations came to light on Friday, raising serious concerns.
Omar won’t say if she stands by previous ‘more fearful of white men’ comments in aftermath of DC shooting
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said the U.S. should be “more fearful of white men” amid threats of domestic terrorism, which are comments from 2018 that resurfaced in May and attracted scrutiny from Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance. Omar, who walked away from reporters on Thursday when asked about the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy employees in Washington, D.C., the previous night, previously said the U.S. should be more concerned about white men. “I would say our country should be more fearful of white men across our country because they are actually causing most of the deaths within this country,” Omar said in a 2018 interview with Al Jazeera. WHITE HOUSE DECRIES ‘EVIL OF ANTISEMITISM,’ VOWS JUSTICE AFTER FATAL SHOOTING OF ISRAELI EMBASSY STAFFERS Omar’s remarks came in response to questions about the threats of domestic terrorism and “jihadism” in the U.S. “And so, if fear was the driving force of policies to keep America safe, Americans safe inside of this country, we should be profiling, monitoring and creating policies to fight the radicalization of white men,” Omar told Al Jazeera. A spokesperson for Omar did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital asking if Omar stood by her previous statements. The comments resurfaced in May after conservative influencer accounts, including Libs of TikTok, shared video footage of the interaction. Republicans, including Vance, condemned the statements. “This isn’t just sick; it’s actually genocidal language,” Vance said in an X post May 5. “What a disgrace this person is.” VANCE, CONSERVATIVES BLAST OMAR OVER RESURFACED ‘FEARFUL OF WHITE MEN’ CLIP: ‘GENOCIDAL LANGUAGE’ In response to Vance, Omar said in an X post that she was “referring to the rise of white nationalism in an annual report issued by the Anti-Defamation League that said white supremacists were responsible for 78 percent of ‘extremist-related murders.’” “PS you should look up what ‘genocidal’ actually means when you’re actively supporting a genocide taking place in Gaza,” said Omar, who has been an outspoken advocate for the Palestinians in Gaza. On Wednesday evening, two Israeli Embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, were leaving a museum event when they were gunned down and killed. A pro-Palestinian man identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago was arrested, according to authorities. Police said he chanted “Free, free Palestine” as he was arrested. CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS DIGITAL’S COVERAGE OF ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’ Yaron, born in Israel, grew up in Germany. While his father is Jewish, his mother is a Christian and the family is considered Christian. Milgrim was an American employee working for the Israeli Embassy. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Omar originally dodged reporters asking for her reaction to the shooting but later posted on X that she was “appalled” by the attack. “I am appalled by the deadly shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum last night,” Omar said in a Thursday post on X. “Holding the victims, their families, and loved ones in my thoughts and prayers. Violence should have no place in our country.” Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
FLASHBACK: Democrat Rep Ilhan Omar said US should be ‘more fearful of white men’ in 2018
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said the U.S. should be “more fearful of white men” amid threats of domestic terrorism, which are comments from 2018 that resurfaced in May and attracted scrutiny from Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance. Omar, who walked away from reporters on Thursday when asked about the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy employees in Washington, D.C., the previous night, previously said the U.S. should be more concerned about white men. “I would say our country should be more fearful of white men across our country because they are actually causing most of the deaths within this country,” Omar said in a 2018 interview with Al Jazeera. WHITE HOUSE DECRIES ‘EVIL OF ANTISEMITISM,’ VOWS JUSTICE AFTER FATAL SHOOTING OF ISRAELI EMBASSY STAFFERS Omar’s remarks came in response to questions about the threats of domestic terrorism and “jihadism” in the U.S. “And so, if fear was the driving force of policies to keep America safe, Americans safe inside of this country, we should be profiling, monitoring and creating policies to fight the radicalization of white men,” Omar told Al Jazeera. A spokesperson for Omar did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital asking if Omar stood by her previous statements. The comments resurfaced in May after conservative influencer accounts, including Libs of TikTok, shared video footage of the interaction. Republicans, including Vance, condemned the statements. “This isn’t just sick; it’s actually genocidal language,” Vance said in an X post May 5. “What a disgrace this person is.” VANCE, CONSERVATIVES BLAST OMAR OVER RESURFACED ‘FEARFUL OF WHITE MEN’ CLIP: ‘GENOCIDAL LANGUAGE’ In response to Vance, Omar said in an X post that she was “referring to the rise of white nationalism in an annual report issued by the Anti-Defamation League that said white supremacists were responsible for 78 percent of ‘extremist-related murders.’” “PS you should look up what ‘genocidal’ actually means when you’re actively supporting a genocide taking place in Gaza,” said Omar, who has been an outspoken advocate for the Palestinians in Gaza. On Wednesday evening, two Israeli Embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, were leaving a museum event when they were gunned down and killed. A pro-Palestinian man identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago was arrested, according to authorities. Police said he chanted “Free, free Palestine” as he was arrested. CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS DIGITAL’S COVERAGE OF ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’ Yaron, born in Israel, grew up in Germany. While his father is Jewish, his mother is a Christian and the family is considered Christian. Milgrim was an American employee working for the Israeli Embassy. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Omar originally dodged reporters asking for her reaction to the shooting but later posted on X that she was “appalled” by the attack. “I am appalled by the deadly shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum last night,” Omar said in a Thursday post on X. “Holding the victims, their families, and loved ones in my thoughts and prayers. Violence should have no place in our country.” Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
12-year-old dies after consuming pesticide over public scolding, leaves behind suicide note: ‘Maa, I didn’t steal…’
A 12-year-old boy died allegedly by suicide after consuming pesticide on Friday, i.e., May 23.