Meta Launching Free Subscription For Ad-Free Experience In Europe

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31 October 2023

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Meta Launching Free Subscription For Ad-Free Experience In Europe

Facebook and Instagram will be removing ads from their platforms and are introducing a paid subscription for users to avail of the feature. The service is available all over the European Union. It will be offered for roughly €9.99 per month on the web or €12.99 / month on iOS and Android to account for additional fees.

Meta issued in their statement, “To comply with evolving European regulations, we are introducing a new subscription option in the EU, EEA and Switzerland. In November, we will be offering people who use Facebook or Instagram and reside in these regions the choice to continue using these personalized services for free with ads, or subscribe to stop seeing ads. While people are subscribed, their information will not be used for ads.”

The subscription has been introduced to address the concerns of the European Union about Meta’s ad targeting and data collection practices. Meta believes the new policy will have a more clear and definitive privacy requirement met. The requirements are set by the European data laws that include the Digital Markets Act and GDPR.

Free access that comes with ads is set to remain available. “If you choose to continue to use our products for free, your experience will stay the same – and that experience will continue to be supported by the tools and settings that we have created to empower people to control their ads experience,” Meta explained.

Meta has written in their blog post while announcing the subscription, “We respect the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations, and are committed to complying with them.”

The ad-free subscription will be available only for those 18 and above in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. It will initially apply across all linked Facebook and Instagram accounts. Eventually, however, Meta will be charging extra for linked accounts.

Starting March 1st, 2024, there will be an additional fee of €6 on the web or €8 on iOS and Android per linked account. The company told The Wall Street Journal that it will temporarily stop showing ads to teenagers in the region from November 6.

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Mountains

The Highest Mountains in the World

Mountaineers will tell many a tale about the highest mountains they have climbed, how long it took them, and will tell you at great length about the training and diets they undertook to get them ready for the climb. Well, this article informs the eager traveler about three of the world's highest peaks, Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga. Mount Everest (Sagarmatha): This is part of the Mahalangur Himalayas and lies between China and Nepal. In fact, their border runs along with the summit point. It is 8,844 m in height (rock height) according to the Chinese and this has been accepted by the Nepalese. Everest is every mountaineer's dream rock to climb. To date, around 300 people have died to try to climb it and many have suffered severely from altitude sickness. Things to Do The Tengboche Monastery is a beautiful building near the base camp. The wood-carved decor is impressive and the walls are adorned with many paintings of Buddha. There is a bakery below the monastery run by the monks which apparently sells a great apple pie. The monks will also tell you about the history of the monastery and the area too. The Namche Bazaar is the last resort stop where mountaineers shop before the climb to Everest and as a result have a wide variety of things that can be bought. It is, however, obviously more expensive than normal. Places to Stay The closest places to stay are in the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. Hotel Everest View is one of these hotels at just under a mile from the mountain and at 13,000 ft is the highest hotel in the world. It is a luxury hotel and serves some of the best food in the region of Khumbu. It has views of Everest from every room. It also has Wi-Fi. Khumbu Resort at 8.3 miles away is also a good hotel offering nice food and clean, comfortable rooms at a reasonable price. Places to Eat and Drink Hotel Everest View has great food and currently offers Japanese food amongst other dishes. Other options are the Sherpa Barista Bakery, Food & Coffee Shop which is a few miles away, and in the top 2 places to eat and drink in that area. K2: K2 is part of the Baltoro Karakoram range of mountains and is on the China-Pakistan border. At 8,611m it is the second-highest mountain in the world. It has a particularly hard ascent and as a result of this is known as the "Savage Mountain". Out of the highest mountains in the world, it has the second-highest death rate of climbers. The best times to try to climb it are in July and August as these are the warmest months. Things to Do The Central Karakoram National Park is located in Pakistan in the Gilgit-Baltistan area. Trekking and rock climbing are some of the things that can be done as well as spotting animals such as the snow leopard and ibex if the visitor is lucky enough and patient enough. The Kaberi Glacier in Pakistan is at 4448m and quite a sight covering an area of 71.96km. It is also in the Gilgit-Baltistan area. Places to Stay The Gilgit Serena Hotel in Pakistan comes in at no 1 in the TripAdvisor rankings. It also has a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. Its location places it conveniently at 2 miles from Gilgit airport. The views of the mountains are spectacular and the food is good and wholesome. The Hunza Serena Inn in Hunza, Pakistan, is also no1 in its area according to TripAdvisor, and is in a beautiful setting surrounded by orchards of apple trees and apricots with the mountains as a beautiful backdrop. Places to Eat and Drink The Gilgit Serena Hotel already mentioned has good quality food and is probably the best in the area. There are many other lodges and inns but this seems to be the best for food and accommodation. Kangchenjunga: This mountain lies on the border of Nepal and India and is the world’s third-highest. Its peak lies at 8,586m above sea level and is part of the Himalayas residing in an area called Kangchenjunga Himal. It is the tradition of climbers to stop short of the top so that it remains untouched and as a result is not worn down. Interestingly there are three different areas of vegetation surrounding the mountain. There are broad-leaved, coniferous forests, meadows containing alpine shrubs and savanna and grasslands (Terai-Duar). Things to Do In nearby Sikkim, India, there are plenty of things to see and do for the nature lover. Remember that in order to visit India an India e-visa is required, read more for additional queries. There are several wildlife sanctuaries including the Fambong Lho and the Pangolakha. There are also two rhododendron sanctuaries at Barsey and Shingbar and a national park at Khangchendzonga, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Places to Eat and Drink The Coffee Shop and Restaurant in Gangtok serves coffee and Italian food. It is ranked no 1 in this area in TripAdvisor. it has exceptional pizzas according to travelers and amazing coffee. The Cafe Live and Loud also seems to have the top spot out of Gangtok's restaurants. It seems slightly more expensive but has music with a good local band. Where to Stay: The Lemon Tree Hotel Gangtok has a 5.0 rating on TripAdvisor and is ranked no 1 in the area. It is decorated in the traditional style of the area and has stunning views of the mountains. It is close to Kanchenjunga National Park and boasts a swimming pool (outdoors), Wi-Fi, and a fully equipped gym. The Udaan, Woodberry Hotel, and Spa are also ranked highly coming in at no 2 out of all the hotels in Sikkim. It has a Certificate of Excellence. It boasts a spa as suggested by the name. Take your time and apply for an India e-visa if you want to go there. Read Also: Three Amazing Travel Destinations In Africa Why Should Ladakh Be Your Next Travel Destination?

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NBCUniversal BMW Canada, Pinterest And Soylent Are 2023 Finalists For Greater Good Awards

NBCUniversal BMW Canada, Pinterest & Soylent Finalists 2023

One of the top things that ruled this year’s Greater Good Nominations is sustainability. Companies have been shortlisted based on their efforts to create a better future. Corporations around the world are investing in areas that need awareness and development. Centralizing the causes they stand for, companies are making it their mission to stand by them through their line of business. Automaking giant BMW Canada has earned a nomination in the Sustainability category for their campaign supporting their new line of electric vehicles. BMW’s latest EV iX xDrive50 drove a campaign to raise awareness about the company’s strong commitment to environmental conservation. Being a leading electric vehicle maker BMW Canada joined hands with Media Experts and CBC to come up with a branded series of content highlighting the people behind green technology. They also managed to subtly integrate the iX xDrive50 into the campaign. The carmaker and media houses also worked with Sharethrough to fund carbon-offsetting ventures. https://twitter.com/GoodwillFinds_/status/1711829931972325780?s=20 Soylent has been nominated in the World Hunger category for their brand donations that are worth $2.4 million USD of their products in the fiscal year of 2022. They have donated to shelters, food banks, and other communities facing food shortages. Pinterest has been named in the Better Future category, which aims to recognize campaigns and initiatives supporting the long-term future by sponsoring areas of science, technology, environment, and security. As part of their support for environmental causes, they provided advertising credits to increase the traffic on climate change content on the platform. In the Social Justice category, NBCUniversal is one of the nominees for the Plan Your Vote campaign that they carried out during the 2020 pandemic. It returned again in 2022 to help Americans move through the changes in voting rules. Microsoft Teams used the entire Comcast NBCUniversal ecosystem, adding a bilingual marketing campaign to reach a larger audience.  This marketing campaign brought in 764 million impressions on all the platforms of Comcast NBCUniversal in 2022. It also earned an estimated media value of above $3 million USD. Learn More About: YouTube Ends Premium Lite Plans After 2 Year Trial Period! Get Your Deets Yellow Metal Is Expected To Be At A Range-Bound With A Minimal Bearish Bias

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Honor History

Medal of Honor History: 9 Amazing Facts You Need to Know

The Medal of Honor: a highly respected title which perfectly describes what it takes to be given this renowned award. Honor. Bravery. Sacrifice. And that's just to name a few. Since its inception in 1862, the Medal of Honor has been awarded to only the most deserving of US Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Coast Guards, and Marines. Those who have risked their lives for others, and for the greater good of the country, displaying "gallantry in action" and other soldier-like qualities. The Medal of Honor history is a long and admirable one that gets deeper with every passing ceremony. While most of us have a general idea of what this medal entails, there's always room to learn more. And since it's the most prestigious award given by the US military, it's certainly worth a lesson. Let's see why this award means so much. Medal of Honor History: 9 Awesome Facts : We've compiled a list of things to know about the Medal of Honor and its origins. Want your own Medal of Honor memorabilia? See page for details on how you can honor this timeless tradition - and then get reading. 1. Started by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862 : Also called the Medal of Valor in its beginning, the Medal of Honor was established in the young years of war. Lincoln gave the award to six soldiers for their exemplary performance in the Civil War. 2. Going Beyond the Call of Duty : The Medal of Honor goes beyond the normal call of bravery. Those who receive the award have sacrificed majorly. In fact, sixty percent of those who receive the award do so after they have already passed. Killed in action: the major sacrifice of a man for his fellow man. Others have been awarded for the likes of running into a fire to save a comrade; tossing away live grenades, and submersing themselves in extreme enemy fire to protect someone else. As former President Obama stated during a ceremony: "This is the stuff of which heroes are made. This is the strength, the devotion that makes our troops the pride of every American." Those who receive this award are the epitome of that strength and devotion. It's not your average soccer trophy. 3. Nineteen People Have Been Double Recipients of the Award : A whopping nineteen people were eligible not just once, but twice, to receive the coveted, valued Medal of Honor. With ranks covering the categories of Major, to Sergeant, all the way to a Fireman, these honorable few have sacrificed themselves in the most honorable of ways. Twice. 4. The President Always Gives the Award : A tradition which began when President Abraham Lincoln awarded the first Medals of Honor to six soldiers who were members of a raiding party that went headfirst into Confederate territory to destroy bridges and railroad tracks. The tradition continues to this day, as recently as our last two US Presidents having given Medals of Honor. 5. Over 3,400 Medals of Honor Have Been Awarded so Far : Since only 19 people have been awarded twice, that means that over 3,362 individuals have passed the honored test, risking their lives and going above and beyond what was expected of them. 6. Only One Woman Has Ever Received the Medal of Honor : Out of the whopping 3,400 recipients, only one woman has ever been awarded the medal. Her name was Dr. Mary Walker. As a prisoner of war for months, a women's doctor, and an outspoken feminist, President Andrew Johnson believed her to be honorable enough to deserve the medal. However, awarding Walker was controversial at the time, especially considering Walker was never a commissioned soldier. Her award was ultimately rescinded due to the fact of being a civilian - but in a classic, rightfully stubborn form, she held onto the award until she died! Later President Jimmy Carter actually re-issued the honor in her name. 7. Recipients Have Participated in 24 Different Battles and Wars : From WWI to WWII; Iraq and Afghanistan; the Korean War; Vietnam War; Civil War; and over a dozen others, US soldiers have paved the way for greatness across the board. When conflict strikes the US, we have a tendency to strike back harder. 8. There Are 71 Total Living Recipients Today : Of the 71 still living, most were members of the US Army, with Marines being second; the Navy third; and the Coast Guard fourth. One of the most recent awards was given to Forent Groberg in 2012 for tackling a suicide bomber. While serving in Afghanistan, this Army soldier was badly injured while sacrificing himself to save fellow soldiers (which he did). This ceremony marked only the 10th time that a living service member has been awarded the Medal of Honor for efforts in Iraq or Afghanistan. Seven other fighters in this conflict received the award posthumously, or after their passing. After tackling the bomber to the ground, the vest detonated, injuring but not killing Groberg, and therefore saving the lives of many. In true honorable fashion, when Groberg learned of his receiving the award, he dedicated it to his fellow soldiers. 9. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society : The Congressional Medal of Honor Society was started to create a brotherhood amongst recipients of the award Unlike most societies, the CMHS hopes to have no new members. New members mean that soldiers must take action in times of war. In this way, the CMHS prides itself on being exclusive to the 71 remaining soldiers. Honor Your Country : There's a reason why the Medal of Honor is the highest award that can be given by the US military. Those who receive the medal are members of an elite, exclusive society: those who could have, or did, die in the name of protecting their country and their comrades. Not many people can say they deserve this honor. In fact, since its origins in the 1800s, less than 4,000 people have received this high recognition; and they hope that no one else will have to. Always remember these people when learning medal of honor history. If you know anyone who has received this honor, tell us their story. We love hearing from our users!  

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