President Donald Trump fired the two remaining Democratic commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission Tuesday in what appears to be a conspicuous exercise of power over the independent agency.The White House confirmed the dismissals in an unsigned email response to The Verge. Democratic Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya shared his dismissal in a Notes app message posted to his X account Tuesday evening. The president just illegally fired me, Bedoya writes. This is corruption plain and simple. Democratic Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter also called the firing illegal in a statement saying it violates the plain language of a statute and clear Supreme Court precedent.Both commissioners suggest in their statements that the firings are a nod to corporate power. The administration clearly fears the accountability that opposition voices would provide if the President orders Chairman Ferguson to treat the most powerful corporations and their executives like those that flanked the President at his inauguration with kid gloves, Slaughter writes. Bedoya says Trump wants the FTC to be a lapdog for his golfing buddies, rather than take on consumer protection and competition issues in big businesses. Earlier on Tuesday, Wired reported that the FTC had removed business guidance blogs from the past four years that included an information page explaining how AI chatbots can be designed in compliance with FTC regulations on unfair and deceptive practices, as well as information about the agencys privacy lawsuits against Amazon and Microsoft that were brought against the companies under Khan. Trump wants the FTC to be a lapdog for his golfing buddiesPrior to joining the FTC, Bedoya was perhaps best known for his research on algorithmic bias, as well how surveillance affects Black communities. Slaughter is also known for her work on algorithmic discrimination against protected classes. While serving as commissioner, Slaughter tweeted in 2020 about how the FTC can be antiracist. In a following interview she said that antitrust law is clearly about economic structure, and economic structure in this country has a pretty profoundly racialized effect.Its typical during a change in administration for the prior administrations FTC chair to submit a resignation, since the president has the power to tap a leader of the agency, as Trump did when promoting Republican Andrew Ferguson from commissioner to chair. Its also common for the other commissioners to remain for the duration of their terms, since under the law, no more than three commissioners at the agency can be from a single party. As was to be expected, former Democratic Chair Lina Khan stepped down from her post at the agency earlier this year. Trump appointed Republican Andrew Ferguson to lead the agency and has also nominated Mark Meador to round out the agencys Republicans alongside Melissa Holyoak. With a Republican majority, the FTC would already be able to push forward policies and enforcement actions without Democratic support. Again, that is the normal state of affairs when the White House changes hands. But the firings of these existing Democratic commissioners is highly unusual. However, close watchers of this White House might have expected this legally-fraught break with longstanding norms, not just because of the administrations bulldozer approach to so-called federal workforce reform, but also because Trump issued an executive order last month asserting Presidential supervision and control of the entire executive branch, including so-called independent agencies like the FTC.Ferguson said that as head of the executive branch, Trump is vested with all of the executive power in our governmentFerguson has endorsed the idea that presidents should be able to fire independent agency commissioners, saying that a 1935 Supreme Court case known as Humphreys Executor which found such workers had to be dismissed for cause was wrongly decided. In a statement following the dismissals, Ferguson said that as head of the executive branch, Trump is vested with all of the executive power in our government. I have no doubts about his constitutional authority to remove Commissioners, which is necessary to ensure democratic accountability for our government.Bedoya says he will testify before the Colorado Joint House and Senate Judiciary Committees on Wednesday, and will have more to say then. He also adds that he plans to pursue legal action to fight his dismissal: Ill see the president in court.See More:

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) granted Teslas application for a ride-hail permit, a required first step in the automakers quest to launch a robotaxi service in the state.Last year, Tesla applied to become a transportation charter-party carrier (TCP), which enables it to operate a fleet of vehicles for passenger services using employees as drivers. CPUC is a state agency that regulates human- and robot-driven vehicles for ride-hail services.With its new permit, Tesla can transport its own employees as passengers in Tesla vehicles on a pre-arranged basis, according to CPUC. It can then transition to using the permit to transport members of the public, but will need to notify the agency first before initiating that step.TCP permits are different from the permits for ridehailing companies like Uber and Lyft, which operate as transportation network companies that connect independent drivers to customers via mobile apps.With its new permit, Tesla can transport its own employees as passengers in Tesla vehicles on a pre-arranged basis.Also, its important to note that Tesla is not yet participating in CPUCs autonomous vehicle passenger program though it will need to do so if it intends to launch a commercial passenger service using driverless cars. The company would also need to obtain permission from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test fully driverless vehicles which it has yet to do.Still, its a sign that Tesla is serious about pursuing its long-awaited robotaxi project. The companys CEO Elon Musk said during an earnings call earlier this year Tesla would begin by testing driverless operations in Texas this summer. He also claimed that the company has been testing a nascent service with employees in the Bay Area for several months using safety drivers.Musk has caught a lot of flack over the years for repeatedly promising that fully autonomous vehicles were just one to two years away and then failing to deliver. Also there are lingering questions about the readiness of the technology on which Tesla claims its vehicles can drive autonomously, especially its camera-only sensor suite that eschews radar, lidar, and other redundant safety systems.

Warning: this review contains full spoilers for episode 4 of Daredevil: Born Again!Daredevil: Born Agains fourth episode continues to stir the pot and build tension, largely thanks to an excellent scene with the Punisher (Jon Bernthal). However, even Frank Castle is not enough to make up for the lack of Daredevil. (In four episodes weve had a grand total of 15 minutes of Daredevil. But whos counting?) Matt Murdocks investigation into the murder of White Tiger leads to some strong emotional moments and its clear to see the buildup of guilt and anger are getting to him. Maybe, just maybe, its just what he needs to put on the horns again.I dont mean to rag on the series too hard for doing a slow burn that presumably leads to an epic Daredevil return. But its almost funny how Marvel made such a big deal about bringing Daredevil back to our screens, only for them to not use him for three-and-a-half episodes. Fortunately, Murdocks emotional scenes with Hector Ayalas daughter Angela and later Frank Castle seem to have motivated him to at least take out his billy club and shake off the rust. Heres hoping this means hell be suiting up in episode five. Easily the best part of this episode is Bernthals return as the Punisher. His dynamic with Murdock, or Red as he calls him, is beyond fantastic. Murdock tracks down Castle to confront him about the skull logo he found on the missing bullet casing, as well as cops appropriating his symbol, but Castle brushes all that aside and cuts to the heart of whats really been eating at him. Murdock tends to be in control of every conversation hes in, but Punisher is nothing but wrath and anger, so its not long before Murdock breaks down and things devolve into a bitter, tear-filled argument about justice and revenge. Their explosive debate is just what the story needs to get some pep in its step.Meanwhile, Mayor Fisk is forced to do things by the book in order to get anything done around the city, which he is definitely not used to. His tour around the city becomes lowkey hilarious when hes forced to listen to a childrens choir serenade him, only to then be stuck listening to the same song sung by a Latvian choir at his next meeting. This man has taken a beating from Daredevil but this is the most pained weve ever seen him. Amazing. Daredevil: Born AgainThose scenes of Fisk enduring the political system are juxtaposed with Murdock being forced to re-examine the justice system. Murdock tries to quickly deal with Leeroys theft case by getting him reduced jail time, but Leeroy convinces him of how the system forces him to endure one indignity after another and pushes him to do more. It seemed like Murdock was getting complacent and even a bit smug with how he treats his clients, so this appears to be a necessary wake-up call for him. In a way, it complements what Castle told him and how Murdock needs to be more critical of the court.Fisks marriage counseling with Vanessa has finally taken an interesting turn. There are even a few laughs as the husband and wife refer to their illicit activities with thinly veiled codewords. As it turns out, Vanessa was unfaithful while Fisk was away, and so we finally gain some insight on why their marriage has taken such a rocky turn. Murdocks love interest Heather Glenn is their therapist, and its fascinating watching her try to navigate their words to uncover their true meaning. I cant help but feel like shes getting into more and more danger with each session, as shes now privy to quite a bit of the Fisks most intimate dealings. And just in case you thought becoming mayor has genuinely changed Fisk for the better, we see hes imprisoned the man Vanessa cheated with in an underground bunker so he can enjoy his suffering while dining on his fancy meals. Once a thug, always a thug, indeed.Murdock and Castle's explosive debate is just what the story needs to get some pep in its step.In regards to Murdocks relationship with Glenn, as well as the Latvian attorney he flirts with at the courthouse, its nice to see him enjoy some genuine happiness for once. His life is so filled with tragedy, its a welcome change to watch him be flirtatious and romantic (and it's a lot of fun to watch Charlie Cox in these scenes). Of course, nothing good lasts long in Murdocks life, and hell inevitably find out who Glenn is doing marriage counseling for, so lets be happy for him while we can. Being with Glenn also allows Murdock to grieve the loss of Foggy, which ends up leading to an especially emotional scene in an episode filled with emotional scenes.Bookending this episode are a pair of scenes featuring the artistically inclined serial killer known as Muse. It looks like he drains the blood of his victims to use as paint for his art. Gross. We only get a tease of Muse as setup here, but suffice to say the stage is set for Daredevil to battle one of his most heinous villains from the comics.Other ThoughtsIn the comics, Angela del Toro inherits her uncle Hectors amulet to become the new White Tiger. I wouldnt be surprised to see her come into possession of his amulet and take up the mantle in a later season or even appear in the long-gestating Young Avengers project.Are you a superhero/villain in New York City if you dont advertise with some street art? Murdock discussing Foggy made me realize that we never learned exactly why he was assassinated back in the first episode. Did Bullseye kill him simply to get revenge on Daredevil or is there more to the story?

Marvel is everywhere these days, so its not surprising to see the deluge of heroes and villains represented throughout various media like the X-Men 97 show and Marvel Rivals video game. Even on the tabletop front, Marvel has seen its fair share of interesting crossovers with the likes of the team-based word game Codenames, and the long lasting trading card game Magic: The Gathering. Coming this Spring, there is yet another Marvel collab featuring the X-Men and the dice-rolling fighting game, Dice Throne. From what Ive played so far, its very similar to past versions, but the new characters and unique abilities give this new X-Men run an interesting take for fans looking for a different kind of superhero tabletop experience. The new X-Men iteration of Dice Throne was initially on Kickstarter. So the Kickstarter version and the Battle Chest version that can be ordered on their website will have different contents than the retail versions that I was able to play with. These differences are mainly in the quality of the tokens and game pieces, in addition to better organizational improvements like storage trays for each hero. For the retail versions, there are two boxes to choose from showcasing four different X-Men each. One includes Cyclops, Gambit, Rogue, and Jean Grey while the other has Iceman, Psylocke, Storm, and Wolverine. So when deciding on which box to get into, you get a good blend of some fan favorites no matter what. Each character has a difficulty rank from one to six, which can be seen on the back of the box as well. The box with Wolverine and Storm is best for new players, since neither of the heroes have a difficulty over four. The Gambit and Jean Grey box, on the other hand, has both of these heroes in particular at difficulty six, so its best to consider your playgroup before choosing one or the other. Since this is ultimately Dice Throne, the gameplay is much the same, with each player rolling dice to determine what abilities their character will use on themself or their opponents or allies. Of the eight abilities on a character board, one of them is usually a defensive ability and another is a passive alongside the other offensive abilities. On the center is the ultimate ability, which is of course very difficult to pull off being a game of chance. WIth each character board comes dice, a deck of cards specific to the character, dials for tracking resources, and associated character sheets with added information. It can take some time to understand a characters abilities and the synergy between each one, but it all comes down to what you roll to decide what your turn will play out as. The deck of cards can assist you in manipulating your roll, but you can also alter your opponents roll if you decide to make an attack weaker or fizzle altogether. Youll be taking turns rolling dice and bashing your opponents until theyre life hits zero. Its pretty a straightforward goal, but how you get there is where the strategy comes in. The more Wolverine is attacked, the stronger his attacks will be.Since the basic gameplay is quite simple, the replayability really comes from the different characters you can pick from. Wolverine, for instance, has a fairly easy playstyle where he gains rage when taking damage. So the more Wolverine is attacked, the stronger his attacks will be. Then you have characters like Storm that can supercharge her abilities to have extra effects. She even has an ability to borrow dice from other players, so she has a better chance of rolling straights, like in poker, which are the cost of some offensive abilities. Marvel X-Men Dice Throne Looking at the very difficult side of the character spectrum, theres Jean Grey, who swaps back and forth between the Dark Phoenix, altering her passive abilities each turn. This means shes drawing many cards and gaining resources one turn as Jean Grey, then skipping an entire phase but having higher offensive capabilities the next turn as Dark Phoenix. It can be difficult to balance depending on how your opponents affect your plays. Then theres Gambit, another difficult character who kinetically charges cards with abilities to set up added effects on future turns. So keeping track of said charged cards and when to use them is another layer of strategy. Each character has their own flavor that matches their comic lore, so its just a matter of understanding their playstyle to make gameplay go smoothly.Dice Throne can be played 1v1, but there are other options that the game suggests, like a free-for-all King of the Hill when there are an odd number of players, or even team matches. Since players take turns one at a time, games can last long if players arent quite comfortable enough yet, so playing 1v1 is a good way to get your feet wet before moving on to bigger parties. If you have experience with trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, Dice Throne will actually be pretty easy to pick up. Other than the dice rolls determining which abilities to use, the cards are used very similarly to other TCGs. For instance, there is a specific turn order like upkeep phase, income phase, main phase, and dice roll phases as well as the different timings for when cards can be used during either phase. Ive seen Dice Throne before, but Ive never really thought much of it whenever I find myself at the board game section of a store. Sure, dice-rolling games can be fun and interesting, but people will be drawn to whatever genres or game types they prefer. Being a fan of the Marvel universe and superheroes in general, this iteration of Dice Throne really brought me around to checking it out. If you enjoy Marvel characters and want a fun new board game to add to the library, X-Men Dice Throne really scratches that itch for board game nights especially when your friends enjoy the characters and world as well.

SummaryFor a limited time, find great deals across the Square Enix catalogue on the Xbox Store.Critically acclaimed games like Nier: Automata,the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, and Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix are currently discounted.The Square Enix Publisher Sale lasts until March 31, visit the Microsoft Store to view the full range of offers.The Square Enix publisher sale is here! Starting today, we are excited to bring you huge discounts across our Xbox catalogue. Whether someone is playing a new release or an all-time classic, our goal at Square Enix is to deliver unforgettable experiences to every player. Here are a few of the games that aim to do just that.Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 RemixKingdom Hearts -HD 1.5+2.5 Remix is an essential collection of the first six stories in the Kingdom Hearts series, a collaboration between Disney and Square Enix. Wield the legendary Keyblade and unlock the true power of friendship as you explore Disney worlds and defend them from darkness.Final Fantasy I-VI BundleThe games that inspired a generation come to life once more in the ultimate 2D pixel remaster! Enjoy universally updated 2D pixel graphics and a beautifully rearranged soundtrack as well as the original version. Experience improved gameplay including modernized UI, auto-battle options, and more. You can even access additional boost features to expand gameplay options, including switching off random encounters and adjusting experience gained multipliers between 0 and 4. There has never been a better time to check out the games that started it all.Life is Strange: Double ExposureMax Caulfield is thrust into a thrilling supernatural murder mystery more dangerous than ever before! Forge allies and pursue suspects across two versions of reality, shaping both timelines through unforgettable choices. A relentless detective has Max in his sights, and Safis killer grows closer with every clue uncovered. Can Max survive long enough to do the impossible?Nier:Automata: Become as Gods EditionHumanity has been driven from the Earth by mechanical beings from another world. In a final effort to take back the planet, the human resistance sends a force of android soldiers to destroy the invaders. Now, a war between machines and androids rages on A war that could soon unveil a long-forgotten truth of the world.Final Fantasy XV Royal EditionNoctis, crown prince of the magical Kingdom of Lucis, embarks on a quest to reclaim his homeland in this action RPG. In an action-packed battle system, channel the power of your ancestors to warp effortlessly through the air in thrilling combat, and together with your comrades, master the skills of weaponry, magic and team-based attacks.These titles and more will be on sale until March 31. Head to the Microsoft Store to see the full range of discounts.

Just a week after releasing iOS 18.3.2 to the public, Apple has now stopped signing iOS 18.3.1. For iPhone and iPad users, this means that they can no longer downgrade to this version of the software if their device is already running a newer version.Apple blocks downgrade from iOS 18.3.2 to iOS 18.3.1iOS 18.3.2 was released on March 11 with an important security patch. According to Apple, the update resolves an exploit in WebKit that allowed malicious web content to break the sandbox. The company says its aware that this exploit was actively used in a extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.As for iOS 18.3.1, the update was released on February 10, also with a specific security patch. In this case, iOS 18.3.1 fixed an exploit that allowed attackers with physical access to an iPhone or iPad to disable USB Restricted Mode on a locked device. USB Restricted Mode is a feature that asks for theiPhoneoriPadspassword to allow it to be connected to a computer or other device via USB.Its important to keep your devices software up to date to protect yourself against hackers and other attacks. Thats why Apple stops signing old versions of iOS. Of course, this ends up affecting users experiencing bugs with the latest version of iOS, since they cant go back to the previous version.Right now, the only possible downgrade is from iOS 18.4 beta to iOS 18.3.2. If you have a compatibleiPhoneoriPad, make sure you update iOS by going to Settings > General > Software Update.Gadgets I recommend:Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Severances season 2 finale arrives this week, leading to a lot of questions about plans for season 3. Heres everything we know so far about Severances future on Apple TV+.Season 3 renewal announcement expected soonApple has not yet officially renewed Severance for a third season. But anyone not living under a rock knows that the season 3 announcement is just a matter of when, not if.Back when Severances first season aired, Apple TV+ announced the shows season 2 pickup just days before the finale. The streamer has followed that pattern with other shows too.It seems likely, then, that Apple will announce Severances season 3 renewal any day now. And who knows? We might even get a multi-season announcement like has happened for both Silo and Slow Horses before.Writers are working on Severance season 3 now, including a key additionLast month in a sit down with The Hollywood Reporter, Ben Stiller shared that Severance season 3 was underway and a writers room was actively working on the show in LA.Speaking of the shows writers, last spring Puck reported that Severances creative team had undergone a big shake-up.Due to reported conflicts between creator Dan Erickson and writer-producer Mark Friedman during Severances first two seasons, Ben Stiller recruited a key new hire.Matt Belloni wrote at Puck:Stiller interviewed several writer-producers to come in and beat out a third season before the likely WGA strike, and ended up quietly hiring Beau Willimon, the House of Cards creator who most recently worked on Disney+s fantastic AndorWillimon got a rich deal to come in for Season 3, but he quickly saw that help was needed on Season 2, with episode costs ballooning to the $20 million range. So for a few months now, Willimon has helped craft a back half of Season 2 and a template for Season 3, with the show being delayed significantly in the process.It sounds like, while Willimon made some significant season 2 contributions, its the upcoming season 3 where well see more of his influence play out.When to expect season 3 on Apple TV+Anyone whos followed Severance since its first season aired knows that the wait between seasons was long.Due to production issues, re-writes, and Hollywood strikes, nearly three years passed between Severances first and second seasons.So far, all we know about season 3s timing is that Ben Stiller says he hopes not to keep audiences waiting three years this time.Stiller and creator Erickson have shared before about their perfectionistic tendencies, so even if Severance season 3 doesnt encounter the same issues during production, its still unlikely well see the show return any time soon.Realistically, Severance season 3 will probably hit Apple TV+ in 2027with late 2026 being the absolute earliest we can hope for.Apple TV+ isavailable for $9.99 per monthand features hit TV shows and movies likeTed Lasso,Severance,The Morning Show,Silo, andShrinking. You can alsowatch free in several ways.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Supported by the Italian Embassy in Wellington,tonightslecture forms part of the celebration of international Italian Design Day, the theme being Community design:How to mend the fractures ofhumanity.Speakers fromtwo practices, Ana Heremaia and Jo Walsh forKAU and Nick Officer and Ben Jagersma for First Light Studio, will talk abouthow thoughtful design and committed activism as demonstrated in their projects can foster stronger, more connectedcommunities.KAUiscommitted to collaboration and community engagement fromits Te Tai Tokerau, Kaikohe office. The practices work seeks to transform the lives of tamariki and whnau through a workshop process which connects people with their tpuna stories and provides hands-on learning through architecture and design.Overthe course of 10 years, thestudio has moved from furniture design to contributing toward the new sports hub Papa Hawaiki and new ongoing library project forKaikohe.First Light Studiowill present two transformative projects, each addressing community needs at different scales and stages of development: a small Wellington church that used seismic strengthening as an opportunity to redefine its role and relevance, to a portfolio of public housing solutions for Te huru Mwai, New Zealands largest Mori-owned community housing provider. These projects demonstrate how thoughtful design can foster stronger, more connectedcommunities.How to Mend the Fractures of Humanity: KAU | First LightArchitectsWednesday 19 March 2025, 6.30pmLecture Theatre 342, Conference Centre Building 423, University of AucklandRegisterhereforyourticket.Other speakers in the series arePAC Studio(Wednesday 26 March),Isthmus(Wednesday 2 April) andParlour(Wednesday 9 April). For more information, and to register, clickhere.TheFast Forward lecture series is generously sponsored byGIBand supported byTe Khui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects.10 NZRAB CPD points are available at each lecture. Attendance is free and allarewelcome.

Mega Construx had their fun. Now it's Lego's turn.

MacBook Air or MacBook Pro? Which size should I get, a 13- or 15-inch Air or a 14- or 16-inch Pro? Is the older M1 Air still worth it? You've got MacBook questions. CNET's laptop experts have MacBook answers.