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WASHINGTON (AP) Conspiracy theories have a long history.

Humans have always speculated about secret motives and plots as a way to understand their world and avoid danger.

These days, however, conspiracy theories and those who believe them seem to be playing an outsize role in politics and culture.

Republican Donald Trump has amplified conspiracy theories about climate change, elections, voting and crime, and has expressed support for the QAnon conspiracy theory. His lies about the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden spurred the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, an event that quickly spun off its own conspiracy theories.

On the left, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has exploited conspiracy theories about vaccines to wage his own campaign for the presidency this year.

Conspiracy theories have also proven lucrative for those cashing in on unfounded medical claims, investment proposals or fake news websites.

The Associated Press has examined the history of conspiracy theories in the United States.

Interviews with experts on technology, psychology and politics give insight into why people choose to believe and spread conspiracy theories, and how those beliefs are affecting our mental health, our politics and our society.

A look at some of the biggest takeaways from the investigation:

Conspiracy theories exposed social tensions long before the American Revolution and the birth of U.S. democracy.

Just as now, early conspiracy theories reflected popular worries of the day. In the years immediately after the American Revolution, rumors and hoaxes circulated about dark plots by the Illuminati and Freemasons, suggesting those secret organizations wanted to control the republic.

Likewise, the conspiracy theories of the modern age often reflect uncertainties about technology, immigration and government overreach. Stories about UFO coverups, microchips in vaccines or the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, being an inside job are examples.

While the specific claims in many of these tales can be debunked, the stories reflect anxieties shared by millions of people.

We are the stories we tell ourselves, said John Llewellyn, a professor at Wake Forest University who studies conspiracy theories and why people believe what they believe.

Humans thirst for information that can help them protect themselves and help them make better decisions for the future. This information, along with personal experiences, upbringing and cultural perspectives, creates a view of the world that helps people understand big events and forces in their lives.

Disasters, elections, wars and even the outcomes of sporting events can shake our perspective, and make us look for explanations. Sometimes that means accepting the facts. But sometimes it can be easier to embrace an alternative explanation.

Conspiracy theories can act as a shortcut to understanding. They fill in the gaps of understanding with speculation that often reflects more about the believers inner beliefs than the events themselves. Conspiracy theories suggesting vaccinations are being used to implant microchips in people, for instance, reflect concerns about technology, medicine and government power.

With the internet, false claims and conspiracy theories can travel further and faster than ever. Social media algorithms prioritize content that elicits strong emotions, like anger and fear.

The AP interviewed dozens of current and former conspiracy theory believers to understand what led them to believe. They consistently said conspiracy theories offered them a sense of power and control in a world that can seem random and chaotic.

The pieces did not fit, said Melissa Sell, a conspiracy theorist from Pennsylvania who began doubting the official narrative of history after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut 2012.

They spoke of growing distrust of democratic institutions and the media, and a gnawing feeling they were being lied to. The world of online conspiracy theories offered answers, and a built-in community of like-minded people.

I was suicidal before I got into conspiracy theories, said Antonio Perez, a Hawaii man who became obsessed with Sept. 11 conspiracy theories and QAnon until he decided that they were interfering with his life. But when he first found other online conspiracy theorists, he was ecstatic. Its like: My God, Ive finally found my people!

Polls show nearly half of Americans believe a conspiracy theory and that those beliefs are almost always harmless. But when fringe views interfere with a persons job or relationships, they can lead to social isolation. And when people put their conspiracy theory beliefs into action, it can lead to violence.

In recent years, conspiracy theorists have tried to stop vaccine clinics, theyve attacked election officials and theyve committed murders that they say were motivated by their beliefs. The Jan. 6 riot is perhaps the most notable example of how conspiracy theories can lead to violence: The thousands of people who stormed the Capitol and fought with police were motivated by Trumps election lies.

Such rapidly spreading disinformation fuels extremist groups and encourages distrust a particular concern during a year of big elections in the U.S. and other nations. Russia, China, Iran and other U.S. adversaries have worked to amplify conspiracy theories as a way to destabilize democracy further. Artificial intelligences ability to rapidly create lifelike video and audio only increases the challenge.

I think the post-truth world may be a lot closer than wed like to believe, said A.J. Nash, vice president for intelligence at ZeroFox, a cybersecurity firm that tracks disinformation. What happens when no one believes anything anymore?

As long as there have been conspiracy theories, people have tried to make a buck off of them. A century or more ago, peddlers went from town to town selling tonics and pills that they said could cure just about any problem. Nowadays, sales take place online. Business is booming.

There are supplements that claim to reverse aging, bogus treatments for COVID-19, T-shirts, investment scams claiming a new financial order is just around the corner.

The AP took a close look at conspiracy theories involving medbeds, which are futuristic-looking devices that believers think can reverse aging and cure a long list of illnesses. According to claims circulating online, the U.S. military is hiding the technology from the public but that Trump, if he wins another term as president, will make them available for free. For people desperate to find help with a medical condition, the claims can be too tempting to ignore.

There have always been hucksters selling medical cures, but I do feel like its accelerating, said Timothy Caulfield, a health policy and law professor at the University of Alberta who studies medical ethics and fraud. There are some forces driving that: obviously the internet and social media, and distrust of traditional medicine, traditional science. Conspiracy theories are creating and feeding this distrust.

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Takeaways from the AP's look at the role of conspiracy theories in American politics and society - DC News Now | Washington, DC

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) Indiana Digital Library reached a milestone of 6.6 million digital books borrowed last year. Its one of 152 total public library systems in the world that surpassed one million checkouts.

While book reading is growing in popularity, many people are still unaware of the access to digital books in Indiana.

Indiana State Librarian Jake Speer says through public libraries in Indiana, people can access digital books or do a quick Google search for the library near them to find out if its participating.

24/7, 365 days a year, youre able to access these great materials, Speer said Thursday on Daybreak.

The top-circulating genre, romance, represents the most popular in a vast catalog that also includes thriller, suspense, mystery, children/young adult, and more.

The top fiveeBook titles borrowed through Indiana Digital Librarys digital collection in 2023:

1. Verity by Colleen Hoover

2. It Starts with Usby Colleen Hoover

3. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

4. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

5. Spare by Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex

The top five audiobook titles borrowed through Indiana Digital Librarys digital collection in 2023:

1. False Witness by Karin Slaughter

2. A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

3. It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

4. The Coworker by Freida McFadden

5. Happy Place by Emily Henry

Through the Libby app, the library provides access to eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, comic books, and other digital content.

Participating libraries include:

Indiana residents with a valid library card can click here to access books from Indiana Digital Library. Readers can use any major device, including Apple, Android, Chromebook, and Kindle.

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Indiana Digital Library building on milestone year - Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic - WISH TV Indianapolis, IN

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The National Digital Library Mission, which was launched to cater to the e-learning needs of students at all levels, is likely to be made available higher funds in the Interim Budget 2024-25. This would be in line with the government's push for artificial intelligence and democratising knowledge and information sharing.

In Budget 2023-24, the Ministry of Education was allocated Rs 1,12,899 crore, which was 13 percent higher than the revised estimates for 2022-23.

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Allocation would be made to finance new initiatives such as teacher training in innovative pedagogy, professional development, and ICT implementation; libraries - digital and physical, and higher education.

The National Digital Library Mission, which was dedicated to the nation in June 2018, has become more significant after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted school education for two years.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that a National Digital Library for children would be created to enable the availability of quality books to all.

The Finance Minister proposed that the books will be made available across languages, genres, levels, and geographies and device-agnostic accessibility.

States were motivated to set up physical libraries at panchayat and ward levels and provide digital infrastructure to access the National Digital Library resources.

It was also proposed to include NGOs to spread literacy and inculcate reading habits among children. Besides financial regulators, various organisations have also been asked to share resources to spread financial literacy.

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A new National Digital Library portal was launched in July this year, which boasts more than 1 billion content pieces and more than 80 million users. The digital library hosts content like books, articles, audio, thesis, and videos relevant to users from varying educational levels.

Discover the latest business news, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

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Allocation likely to be increased for National Digital Library Mission in Budget 2024 - Moneycontrol

One of the best VPN services around has launched a new initiative to empower human rights defenders to take back their online privacy.

With the help of international experts in the field, ExpressVPN put together a Digital Security Resource Library to guide journalists and activists on the most secure tools, cybersecurity tips, and training, to stay truly safe online.

The announcement comes only a few days before Data Privacy Day on January 28the outcome of the workshop the provider held six months ago during RightsCon in Costa Rica, the world's leading summit on human rights in the digital age.

"Internet safety and digital freedom are fundamental human rights. This is what the Digital Security Resource Library is all abouthelping campaigners and journalists feel safe online and ensuring that they have the skills to do so," said Lauren Hendry Parsons, Privacy Advocate for ExpressVPN.

The library is an accessible guide of affordable and privacy-focused tools that the press, NGOs, and other digital activists can use to fight online threats.

Among the recommended software are the secure messaging app Signal, secure email providers like Tuta (formerly Tutanota), secure collaboration platform Element, privacy-first browsers like Tor, Brave, and Firefox, spyware removal tools including Microsoft Defender and Bitdefender, and more.

An explanation of the importance of using a reliable virtual private network is included, too. VPNs are, in fact, a valuable tool as they encrypt users' internet connections while spoofing their real IP addresses. All this grants better online anonymity as well as access to otherwise geo-restricted contentan essential piece of tech for those operating under harsh online censorship and surveillance.

Besides security and privacy software, the Library also lists useful resources like cybersecurity and open-source intelligence (OSINT) training, best practice tips, strategies for navigating internet shutdowns, and more. The provider said that the aim is empowering journalists and activists "in their ongoing efforts to make a lasting impact on the causes they believe in, regardless of their technical skills."

ExpressVPN's new initiative can be seen as the natural extension of the work the provider started in June last year during the RightsCon Summit. At that time, it put together a workshop to determine the issues that human rights defenders face on a daily basis as well as potential solutions.

Among the attendees were human rights defenders, activists, lawyers, technologists, journalists, and educators from various regions across the world to help give a better representation of the challenges people face globally. How police officers use social media and mobile surveillance to find protest organizers and activists' real identities was cited as the main concern.

Did you know?

According to Reporters Without Borders, nearly 800 journalists (779) were arrested at some point in 2023. About half of these were detained across four countries worldwide:China, Myanmar, Belarus, and Vietnam.

"Sadly, and all too often, we are seeing campaigners, human rights defenders, and journalists put at risk when using technology to further their cause," said Francesca Bosco, Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer at cybersecurity and digital rights NGO The CyberPeace Institute, who collaborated to both the workshop and the ExpressVPN Library.

"Everyone should have safety and security in the digital world, and we hope that this Digital Security Resource Library will help all individuals, whatever their mission, to continue pushing forward with what they believe in, free from the risk of being restricted, attacked, or silenced online," she added.

Other privacy advocate experts who take part in the initiative include Rhona Tarrant, Head of Editorial at social news and strategic intelligence agency Storyful, and Fergus OSullivan, freelance technology journalist and VPN expert.

Commenting on the joint effort, Parsons from ExpressVPN said: "Were delighted to collaborate with leading experts in digital privacy and security and we look forward to continuing working with them and other organizations in providing further contributions to the Library over the coming months and years."

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Data privacy: top VPN helps journalists and activists to stay safe online - TechRadar

SINGAPORE The reopening of the National Library Boards (NLB) Central Public Library on Jan 12 following a revamp reminded me that during the pandemic, scores of people discovered NLBs trove of e-books.

I was one of them and was delighted to find that its digital collection was wider than expected, especially in the realm of comics and graphic novels, pleasures that I had given up years ago because of the cost.

I have never been tempted by a Batman or Superman comic, but I gorged on NLBs Old Man Logan collection featuring Marvel Comics Wolverine as a man past his prime, which was adapted for the movie Logan (2017).

The Old Man Logan comics have a griminess and toughness missing from standard superhero fare.

Here are more works that offer storytelling magic for grown-ups, all available for borrowing on mobile phones, tablets and PCs.

Some titles are a few years old, but are included here because they offer a great introduction to the writer.

The most recent works take some time to be included in the librarys collection. The newest e-books also often have longer wait times for borrowing because of their popularity, so why not dive into older material while you are waiting?

People might be wary of American authors offering therapeutic literature, but I gave this winner of the 2023 Harvey Award for Best Childrens or Young Adult Book a chance, and do not regret it.

Valerie Chu is a Chinese-American teen who appears to be the perfect child, socially at ease, academically gifted and thin.

Her dirty secret is disordered eating, stemming from her need to conform to her mothers abhorrence of the standard American physique.

In cleanly drawn panels that are light on dialogue and free of melodramatic cliches, books writer and illustratorYing shows how poisonous well-meaning parental control can be. Giving a child a complex about food is especially insidious as it turns an event carried out three times a day into three daily opportunities for self-inflicted suffering, says Ying.

Extra marks for the clever title, which refers to the Chinese spiritual belief as well as Valeries constant but invisible state of ravenousness.

All hungry ghosts think about is food, as does Valerie.

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Don't overlook National Library Board's digital comics, art books and graphic novels - The Straits Times

Dharamshala: The Department of Religion and Culture of the Central Tibetan Administration invites creative minds to participate in a Logo Designing and Tagline Competition to create a logo and tagline for the departments Tibetan Digital Library initiative.

The Tibetan Digital Library is an initiative spearheaded by the Department of Religion and Culture under the program Strengthening Cultural Resilience of Tibetan Communities funded by USAID. Functioning as a digital repository, the Tibetan Digital Library (TDL) preserves Tibetan cultural heritage, encompassing manuscripts, Thangkas, statues, videos, audios, and other intangible resources. The goal of the program is, Ensuring cultural continuity of the Tibetan community through the digital preservation of ancient Tibetan manuscripts and artefacts and other intangible cultural resources in a secure, sustainable and accessible Digital Library.

Logos serve as a visual representation of an organisation or company, aiding instant recognition and conveying its identity. Similarly, the tagline is used to communicate the essence of the organisation, highlight its unique features or evoke a specific goal of the organisation. For the Tibetan Digital Library, logo and tagline are essential components for the digital repository, as they are crucial in establishing a strong brand identity. These elements will also be instrumental for the consortiums official documentation, such as letterheads, rubber stamps, and branding.

Rather than entrusting the creation of the logo and tagline to a specific individual, DoRC initiated this competition to engage number of youths talent in this project as well as better awareness on the Tibetan Digital Library among them. This competition is open to all Tibetans, including monasteries, nunneries, schools, and the Tibetan community. The selection will be done by the working committee with consultation from the advisors and the three best submissions will be awarded with a cash prize, where the best submission will be finalised as the official logo and tagline of the digital repository. All the participants are requested to submit required document, application form and designed logo and tagline before February 29, 2024.

Eligibility Criteria:

Guidelines for Entries:

Logo:

Tagline:

Cash Prize:

Terms and Conditions

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Logo Design and Tagline Competition for Tibetan Digital Library Initiative - Central Tibetan Administration

Three months after a debilitating ransomware attack hit the Toronto Public Library (TPL), its website is up and running again an important milestone in our recovery efforts, the library said.

Were just as eager as you are for things to get back to normal, TPL said in a post on X on Monday. Full recovery is a gradual process, and the end is in sight. Thanks so much for sticking with us!

TPL has said it expects its network of 2,000 public computers, which are a lifeline for those who depend on them to apply for jobs, housing and government services, to be available for booking early next month. The librarys popular online catalogue and the Your Account feature, which allow users to search for and reserve items, should be working again by late February.

The full and safe recovery of our services will take time, and we truly appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging time, TPL said in a statement.

Canadas largest library system has said it refused to pay those responsible for the attack who have been identified as the Russia-linked Black Basta group. The library has alleged that those responsible stole a large number of files from a server containing employee information, including names, social insurance numbers, dates of birth and home addresses.

The stolen data might be published on the dark web, the library said. TPL has hired a cybersecurity expert to assess the extent of the breach.

The librarys cardholder and donor databases werent affected, but some data from customers, donors and volunteers that was located on the compromised file server may have been exposed, the library said.

It will take us time to analyze data to determine who is affected and how. We will continue to be transparent and notify those affected as appropriate and in light of our findings, the library said.

New details are also emerging about another ransomware attack earlier this month, targeting the Toronto Zoo.

The ransomware gang that stole the personal data of current and former zoo employees has identified itself as Akira.

In a post on its data leak site on the dark web, the international crime group believed to have formed last year says that unless the zoo pays a ransom, 133 gigabytes of data will be published soon, including nondisclosure agreements and personal documents, such as drivers licences.

The city-owned zoo will not pay the $1.6 million ransom demand, zoo board chair Coun. Paul Ainslie said in an interview on Monday. The zoo is working with Toronto police, city cybersecurity staff and outside experts to protect the computer system and ensure its not vulnerable to another attack, Ainslie said.

The zoo and the library have both offered current and past employees free use of a credit monitoring service for two years to check for signs of identity fraud using their stolen information.

The zoo didnt experience a major loss of website functions and the attack didnt affect the safety of animals, the zoo said.

Brett Callow, a threat analyst with Canadian cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, said Akiras targets are varied. Ransom demands can range from tens of thousands of dollars to more than $100 million, Callow said.

They dont seem to have a type of victim it seems to be any organization that could potentially pay, he said.

But even organizations that do pay might not be free of Akira, Callow said. In some cases, he said Akira has returned to those who paid ransoms, posing as a security consultant claiming that Akira still had sensitive data, which would require further payment to delete.

With files from David Rider.

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Toronto Public Library website back online after ransomware attack - Toronto Star

A.P.C., the French fashion brand best known for well-made wardrobe staples and raw denim, has launched a collection of six beauty products with a philosophical bent.

Priced between $20 and $85, the range includes shower gel, body lotion, hand cream, hand soap, lip balm, and cologne. On the back of each product is a label bearing a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche's book Thus Spoke Zarathustra: "I am a body through and through, nothing more: and the soul is just a word for something in the body."

God is dead! But at least we're moisturized.

Another, non-existentialist element unites the curated selection of products: scent. All six offerings are fragranced with orange blossom, an ingredient that's particularly nostalgic for A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou the fragrant flower flourishes in his native Tunisia. (In fact, Nabeul, a city in the country's northeast, is known as the capital of orange blossom water.)

"In fashion as in the cosmetics industry, the balance between too much and not enough is difficult to find," Touitou said in a press release announcing A.P.C.'s beauty launch.

"These six products are the best possible. They are designed to make you feel good and comfortable and help you to have a good day."

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Instagram post.

Available online and in-store, the products aren't A.P.C.'s first foray into beauty. Back in 2009, the brand released a limited-edition fragrance, Sustain, formulated by perfumer Haley Alexander Van Oosten. 300 bottles of the perfume were re-released in 2014.

According to previous coverage of the fragrance, it was meant to smell like the "inside of a guitar case strewn with rose petals." Its bottle was modeled after "the waves on a computer screen that a 12-string guitar makes when playing the opening chord of the Kinks 'Waterloo Sunset.'"

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A.P.C. Launches Beauty Line Inspired By... Nietzsche? - Highsnobiety

Jan 31, 2024

As Grammys 2024 inch closer, here's looking at all the times celebs left us awe-struck at their glitzy jewellery at the event.

Cardi B's 2018 Grammys debut showcased her in a voluminous Ashi Studio gown complemented by Messika's diamond earrings and bracelets.

Lady Gaga owned the 2019 Grammys red carpet with 10-carat Tiffany diamond earrings and a 91-carat diamond necklace from the Tiffany Blue Book collection.

Megan Thee Stallion, a triple winner at the 2021 Grammys, adorned herself with 220 carats of Chopard diamonds, including a Red Carpet Collection necklace.

Lenny Kravitz blended edge and elegance at the 2022 Grammys with a Saint Laurent chainmail look adorned with layers of diamond necklaces and bracelets by Anthony Kantor.

Jennifer Lopez's 2023 Grammy look featured over 150 carats of diamonds in layered Bulgari Serpenti diamond necklaces and stacked sapphire and diamond rings.

Taylor Swift's 2023 Grammy appearance showcased Lorraine Schwartz kite-shaped earrings and over $3 million worth of jewellry, including 136 carats of purple sapphires, Paraibas, and diamonds.

10 Best Quotes of Friedrich Nietzsche

Recreate These Celeb-Approved Makeup Loo...

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Best Jewellery Ever Worn At Grammys Red Carpet - Times Now