At around 5:15 pm on Tuesday, a man in a black hoodie stopped Tufts University graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk on the street in Somerville, Massachusetts. She tried to walk by, but he grabbed her. She screamed, and it seemed like help was arriving.But the masked newcomers were actually there to help her assailant. They took off Ozturks backpack and seized her cellphone. The hooded man put her in handcuffs. Were the police, they told her.You dont look like it, an apparent bystander replied. Why are you hiding your faces?Ozturk, a Turkish national on a student visa, is currently being held in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in Louisiana despite a court order that she must remain in Massachusetts. The State Department has canceled Ozturks visa; ICE is preparing her deportation.The Trump administration claims she has engaged in pro-Hamas activity, but they have provided no evidence of material support for Palestinian militants (or any other terrorist group). The closest thing anyone has found is a 2024 op-ed in the Tufts student newspaper, in which Ozturk and her coauthors criticize Israels war in Gaza but do not express anything that even approximates support for Hamas. This troubling theory that Ozturk was punished purely for her political speech received more support during a Thursday afternoon press conference, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that his agency revoked Ozturks visa because she was part of a pro-Palestinian movement that caused a ruckus on campus.We gave you a visa to come and study and get a degree, not to become a social activist that tears up our university campuses, he said, while providing no evidence that Ozturk had done anything more disruptive than penning an op-ed. He also suggested he had revoked the visas of more than 300 students like her on similar grounds.This is a clarifying moment for American democracy. Unmarked and unidentified law enforcement abducting a lawful migrant, seemingly in retaliation for First Amendment-protected speech, is the sort of attack on civil liberties that we would not hesitate to label as authoritarian in another country.And it is only one example among many. The targeting of at least seven other pro-Palestinian students, the rendering of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to a Salvadoran prison camp, and the extended detention and physical abuse of lawful migrants at the border all of these represent extraordinary abuses of federal power, targeting groups whose citizenship status gives them limited legal recourse.Long-held fears about the weaponization of the US government against dissenters are thus no longer hypothetical. Whats happening is the full-spectrum application of federal immigration powers for authoritarian ends. And things are likely to get worse from here.On Wednesday night, Mother Jones published a story about how the Trump administration identified Venezuelans for deportation that illustrates just how dangerous the current moment is.Reporters Noah Lanard and Isabela Dias conducted extensive interviews with the friends, families, and community members of several men who had been sent to El Salvador. They found no evidence that these men were, as the Trump administration alleged, members of the Tren de Aragua gang. Rather, the reporters found, they were abducted purely because they have tattoos.Neri Alvarado Borges, a Venezuelan baker who lived in the Dallas area, is a case in point. No one who knew him believed he had any connection to Tren de Aragua. They did, however, note that he had a large tattoo of a ribbon a tribute to his brother, Nelyerson, a 15-year-old with autism. According to Borges, this tattoo and two others were the sole reasons for his detention.Well, youre here because of your tattoos, an ICE agent told Borges, per Mother Jones reporting. Were finding and questioning everyone who has tattoos.This is, as a matter of law enforcement, an absurd policy. Experts on Tren de Aragua do not believe there is a generally reliable way to use tattoos to identify gang members. This is substantiated by other reports of ICE mistakes, such as sending a professional soccer player to a Salvadoran prison because, his lawyer says, of his Real Madrid ink.But as an attempt to assert power, it makes sense. The government has identified groups they wish to repress like Venezuelan migrants and pro-Palestinian activists and is using the threat of abduction and physical harm to control or silence them. It is classic authoritarian politics: using law enforcement to punish law-abiding individuals who belong to the wrong groups or have the wrong ideas.It is easy to see why noncitizens are getting the worst of it right now. They enjoy fewer rights under the American legal system, making it far easier to subject them to the brutest of brute force.Yet, as Trumps treatment of universities and federal bureaucrats shows, he is eager to wield arbitrary power against citizens as well. And there are good reasons to believe that versions of the tactics being used on immigrants today might one day be directed against citizens not the least of which is the Trump teams longstanding fascination with denaturalization, the process of stripping citizenship from naturalized Americans.In his 2021 book Immigration and Freedom, political theorist Chandran Kukathas argues that immigration enforcement by its very nature entails restrictions on citizens rights. The very act of trying to distinguish between citizens and noncitizens, for the purposes of deportation or provision of benefits, requires increased levels of surveillance and monitoring against every person residing in the country. How else are governments to distinguish between those they intend to target and those whom they do not?Kukathas is writing about immigration enforcement systems in general pointing out that even the best-intentioned ones require some restrictions on freedom. But what happens when you have an attempt to wield the powers created by immigration enforcement in an arbitrary manner, one seemingly designed to repress critics and sow terror?Well, then you get statements like this one from White House aide Stephen Miller: Dear marxist judges: If an illegal alien criminal breaks into our country the only process he is entitled to is deportation.Miller here is not just expressing contempt for the idea of due process. He is expressing contempt for the idea that there should be any legal checks on their ability to identify whom to deport. Due process exists because law enforcement cant be trusted to only go after the right targets. Free societies depend on oversight and limitations on police power. Otherwise, freedoms are just words on paper subject to the whims of those who have guns.In expressing such unmitigated hostility to this idea, Miller has shown us the disturbing linkage between the administrations assault on immigrants, its repression of American citizens, and its contempt for legal oversight. They are acting like they have the right to go after whomever they want, for whatever reason they went, in whatever manner they want and that anyone who tries to stop them is disloyal at best and a terrorist sympathizer at worst.Weve seen this kind of politics before. And its track record is grim.See More: Politics

Path of Exile 2's Dawn of the Hunt update arrives next week, and it's bringing plenty of new content for the early access ARPG here's all we know about the new Huntress class and moreTech20:00, 27 Mar 2025Dawn of the Hunt marks the first big update for PoE 2(Image: Grinding Gear Games)Path of Exile 2 finally hit Early Access in December, and I'm not entirely sure I've managed to tear myself away for more than a few days other than to play Diablo 4.Despite being an Early Access title, Path of Exile 2 is absolutely stacked with content, including an impressive suite of bosses to tackle, but if you've been waiting for news about fresh updates, the first major content update for one of Elon Musk's favourite games is here.Article continues belowThe new Dawn of the Hunt update will arrive on April 4 at 8 AM UK time and will add a ton of new features. Chief among them is the game's first new class since its Early Access Launch, the Huntress. Here's all we know about the update so far.New Ascendancies give you fresh build crafting opportunities(Image: Grinding Gear Games)The Dawn of the Hunt update's big new addition is the Huntress, a new class that will join the Warrior, Ranger, Witch, Mercenary, Monk and Sorceress already available.Grinding Gear Games says the Huntress' "brutal arsenal is designed to make combat feel like a relentless pursuit, always in motion, moving into and out of melee range at a moment's notice."She can also parry attacks and use elemental spear attacks which sound like a lot of fun, and she has a couple of Ascendancy Classes players can earn. The Ritualist is all about sacrifice and wielding plague against enemies, while Amazon focuses on the elemental side of things.Other Ascendancies being added are the Witch's Lich option which deals in curses and "undeath", while Warriors will gain the "Smith of Kitava" Ascendancy class to "forge weapons of destruction in fire and suffering". Rounding things out is the Tactician path for the Mercenary, which "brings military-grade brutality to the battlefield".More gear can only be a good thing(Image: Grinding Gear Games)The following new Skills are being added, too, as per the devs:Raise Spectre - This skill lets you trap and summon the souls of almost any monster in the game. With hundreds of monster variants in Path of Exile 2, expect endless experimentation to find the perfect undead army.Summon Rhoa Mount - Call forth a Rhoa to fight by your side or mount it to move at full speed while attacking. But beware, taking too much damage can knock you off, leaving you vulnerable to a brutal fate.There's a renewed focus on Mid and Endgame Unique items now, as well as another 20 runes, fresh Maps for endgame, and other rare encounters.Interestingly, you'll be able to find Rogue Exiles who act like player characters, able to dodge roll and avoid abilities. They use Uniques, too, but defeating them means they'll drop their loot.Looks like I'm jumping back in again, but what about you? Did you give Path of Exile 2 a go, or are you waiting for more Diablo? Let us know.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

By AJ Dellinger Published March 27, 2025 | Comments (7) | Federal Trade Commission Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter (L) and Alvaro Bedoya (R) sit behind FTC Chair Lina Khan Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, the two Democratic commissioners on the Federal Trade Commission who were fired earlier this month by President Donald Trump without a specific cause, are suing Donald Trump and FTC leadership over their oustings. The lawsuit sets up a potential showdown regarding presidential authority as it relates to independent agencies. Slaughter and Bedoya, who are represented by the nonprofit anti-authoritarian organization Protect Democracy, are seeking back pay and reinstatement to their role on the commission. But more than that, they are hoping to successfully defend Humphreys Executor v. United States, a 90-year-old Supreme Court ruling that affirmed FTC commissioners could not be removed at will by the president. Bedoya told Gizmodo that he received the email informing him of his firing while he was at his daughters gymnastics class. Whats extraordinary about that is that there was no cause given, he said. FTC statute, which was upheld by the Supreme Court back in 1935, states that commissioners can only be dismissed by the president for one of three reasons: inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office. None of those were provided in the dismissal of Bedoya or Slaughter. Instead, the termination letters stated the commissioners service at the FTC was inconsistent with the Trump administrations priorities. Part of the reason for that decision by the Trump administration may be to challenge the ruling in Humphreys Executor v. United States, which could open the door for the at-will removal of other commissioners on agencies that were designed to operate independently.By firing the commissioners, the President is engaging in an illegal attempt to strip Congress of its power. If accepted, any future President, whether Republican or Democrat, could wield these powers to punish enemies and reward friends, Jared Davidson, counsel at Protect Democracy, told Gizmodo. The consequences are not abstract. They are not theoretical. Davidson explained that the FTC is part of a constellation of independent agencies created by Congress, all designed in a similar fashion with similar removal protections that, in theory, should insulate commissioners from being removed without cause.Bedoya said that it didnt occur to him at first that the aim of the administration in firing him and Slaughter may exceed just the presidents control over the FTC. Humphreys Executor applies specifically to the FTC, so attacking the protections of the commissioners serves as a logical entry point for challenging the law. But it has implications beyond the agency. Heres the key thing, though. Its not just us that have this language, Bedoya said. If the President can break this 90-year-old norm in the American legal system, that doesnt just matter to us [at the FTC]. It matters to the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission, any number of other agencies. Thats when I realized theyre not just trying to remove us. Theyre trying to break precedent for everyone, he said. As Davidson pointed out, it has implications for the Federal Reserve and other agencies, too.If the presidents logic is accepted and he is able to fire members of the FTC at will, there is no principle basis for distinguishing the Federal Reserve whatsoever, Davidson said. It opens the floodgates for the president to be able to fire commissioners who historically have exercised insulation and independence. In the case of the Fed, Davidson said, The president will be able to directly control monetary policy in ways that may have short-term political benefits for the president but have long-term devastating consequences for the American people. Project 2025, the political playbook put together by the conservative Heritage Foundation to serve as a guide for the next Republican administration to consolidate executive power, explicitly calls out Humphreys Executor as a precedent worth challenging. The next conservative Administration should formally take the position that Humphreys Executor violates the Constitutions separation of powers, the document states, describing the law as ripe for revisitingand perhaps sooner than later.The Trump administration has removed other appointees at agenciesincluding a member of the National Labor Relations Board, who was eventually reinstated after the Trump administrations actions were struck down as unlawful by a federal judge, though the Trump administration has appealed the decision. But the firing of the FTC commissioners is the most direct attack on Humphreys Executor yet, and it seems the intent of the Trump administration is to get the Supreme Court to revisit the protections granted by the law. It will likely have at least a couple of sympathetic justices should its challenge reach the highest court. In a 2020 decision related to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in his opinion, The decision in Humphreys Executor poses a direct threat to our constitutional structure and, as a result, the liberty of the American people. Justice Neil Gorsuch joined that opinion. In the meantime, the FTC, one of the agencies at the forefront of consumer protection, is hampered in some of what it can doand extremely slanted in the actions that it can still take. There are currently only two commissioners sitting on the board, which usually consists of five: Chairman Andrew Ferguson and Commissioner Melissa Holyoak, both Republicans.Bedoya warned that the remaining commissioners could choose to end cases that the agency was previously pursuing, including examining privacy rules that apply to Meta and challenging how Amazon treats small businesses that operate on its platform. More importantly, Bedoya says, is the fact that his firingshould it standopens up the possibility that the President could effectively decide the outcome of these cases instead of the FTC. In a world where any of us can be removed for any reason at any time, it doesnt matter what commissioners think, he explained. They can obey and stay or they can not and see what happens to them.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By AJ Dellinger Published March 26, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 24, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 23, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 21, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 19, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 19, 2025

By Passant Rabie Published March 27, 2025 | Comments (4) | Katy Perry is joining five other crew members on Blue Origin's upcoming New Shepard mission. John Shearer/Getty Images Private spaceflight is entering its peak cringe era with the upcoming launch of Blue Origins New Shepard rocket, sending a crew that includes a fallen-off pop star and Jeff Bezos partner to the edge of space. Blue Origin has set a date for its next private mission, which will launch a crew of six private astronauts on board the companys New Shepard rocket. NS-31, Blue Origins 11th crewed mission, is set for liftoff on Monday, April 14 from Launch Site One in West Texas, the company announced on Thursday. The mission will launch an all-female crew that includes singer Katy Perry, TV personality and Oprahs bestie, Gayle King, and Bezoss fiance, Lauren Snchez. Also on board will be former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. While some of the crew members make sense, the rest are flashy add-ons to a rather expensive trip to suborbital heights where, spoiler alert, theyre just going to float around for about two minutes, with the whole thing lasting no more than 11 minutes. Blue Origin resumed its private spaceflight ventures last year following a two-year hiatus due to a liftoff malfunction of the New Shepard rocket. In September 2022, an uncrewed flight of New Shepard ended in flames around a minute after liftoff. Although those rocket trips are becoming more frequent, theyre still risky. Ive made no secret of the fact that Im very nervous, but also very excited, King said on her daily show CBS Mornings following the announcement. And I only ask people, when you see me on the street, please dont tell me not to go I just want people to cheer me on. Thats nicebut also, dont go.In the past, some of these private missions have included scientific payloads to carry out research in the microgravity environment. This one, however, seems to be about touting an all-female crew led by Snchez to embark on a mission that will challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their own stories, and create lasting impact that will inspire generations to come, Blue Origin wrote. It seems like most of the mission goals could be achieved from the ground rather than by paying a hefty price for a seat on New Shepard.The very first seat on Blue Origins rocket sold for $28 million through a global auction in 2021. The price for a ticket on the companys space tourism rides has not been made public, although reports have suggested that a seat on New Shepard costs around $1.25 million.Aside from how expensive it is, spaceflight should not just be open to randos like Perry. Call me a purist, but what does Perry really have to do with space? Its so frivolousespecially during a time when there is so much scrutiny over NASAs budget and ongoing efforts by the current administration to reduce the space agencys workforce. Yes, the goal is to make space more accessible to everyone but were definitely not there yet considering how exclusive these trips still are. In the meantime, private spaceflight is headed toward this highly obnoxious era that will likely alienate most people from the natural wonder and interest in exploring the cosmos.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Passant Rabie Published March 26, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published February 14, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published February 12, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 20, 2025 Passant Rabie and George Dvorsky Published January 16, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published January 8, 2025

Cold plunging has become all the rage. Whether in the ocean, rivers, lakes, or your own personal cold plunge bath, enthusiasts claim that the therapy has a host of benefits, both mentally and physically, from reducing anxiety to reducing brain fog and improving focus.Its also been touted for improving athletic performance, reducing inflammation and joint pain, improving immunity, and increasing metabolism. But are any of these benefits backed by science?Shock the Body with Cold Water PlungeWhile theres no defined temperature for whats considered cold water plunging, anything below 31 degrees Celsius or around 88 degrees Fahrenheit would count, says Franois Haman, a professor of human performance at the University of Ottawa who has been studying cold water plunging for 20 years.Cold water plunging is impacted by how cold the water is and how long you stay in it. The colder the water and the lower your body weight, the faster your body cools down. But typically, when people are choosing to cold water plunge, theyre more likely to choose ice water thats cold enough to shock and stress the body.Read More: 6 Ways to Exercise Outdoors in WinterCold Water Plunge Mental Benefits The response to cold water plunging varies from person to person, but Haman says that there are some consistent benefits that we see across the board. Although, its important to note that the research into both the mental and physical health benefits is very limited and are mostly observational studies, which dont compare participants who plunge with those who dont plunge.The main benefits are mostly psychological and come from facing and succeeding at a challenge, says Haman.Endorphins are released along with dopamine and catecholamines, a stimulant [that plays a role in the body's response to stress], says Haman. These are all known to be mood enhancers.A November 2020 study published in the journal Lifestyle Medicine found that swimmers who swam in cold seawater for 10 weeks saw a marked improvement in their mood and sense of well-being. But its unclear whether it was the cold water that contributed to the mood improvement or other factors such as being outside, swimming, or being with a group of like-minded individuals.Other research published in the January 2023 issue of the journal Biology found that cold water plungers felt less distressed and nervous after having a cold-water bath. But its unclear whether these mental health benefits are short-term and an immediate response to the cold water or whether theyre long-lasting.Cold Water Plunge Benefits for the BodyCold or ice therapy has been shown to work on localized inflammation.Its been well documented that cold therapy works to manage inflammation and can help improve circulation to areas such that theres enhanced recovery for an individual, says Steven K. Malin, an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Rutgers University.For example, if you sprain an ankle or strain a muscle, cold therapy can help these parts of the body heal because if theres too much localized inflammation, the bodys tissues cannot repair themselves properly, says Malin.Cold therapy may also work to increase metabolism and help you burn more calories, but the number is quite minimal, says Malin, at around 50 calories per day. Cold water plunging may also promote recovery from exercise.The Risks of Cold Water PlungingHaman says that its important to be cautious when it comes to cold water plunging. Dont plunge more than once per week, and dont plunge for more than a few minutes at a time. If you have high blood pressure, you should avoid cold water plunging because it constricts the blood vessels, and plunging too much can also damage the nerves in your extremities.But for most of us, plunging is not only fun, it may also make you feel good, at least for a bit.This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Mayo Clinic Health System. Can taking a cold plunge after your workout be beneficial?Sara Novak is a science journalist based in South Carolina. In addition to writing for Discover, her work appears in Scientific American, Popular Science, New Scientist, Sierra Magazine, Astronomy Magazine, and many more. She graduated with a bachelors degree in Journalism from the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. She's also a candidate for a masters degree in science writing from Johns Hopkins University, (expected graduation 2023).

Human-looking bipedal robots can already run, jump, breakdance, punch, and generally perform broad feats of athletic prowess most humans could only dream of. One thing they are still pretty bad at though is walking a straight line without looking like they are moments away from soiling themselves. Figure AI, one of the buzziest startups in the humanoid robot space, now says it has engineered a solution to help address their machines stiff shuffle-step.The more natural-looking stride was achieved by analyzing thousands of virtual humanoid robots walking simultaneously in a simulated digital environment, Figure explained in a recent blog post. The company used reinforcement learning, rewarding the virtual robots for actions like synchronized arm swings, heel strikes, and toe-offs (when the toe leaves the ground) that more closely resemble human movement. Figure says this simulated approach allows it to generate years worth of data in just days. The refined Learned Natural Walking model was then applied to a physical Figure 2.0 humanoid.Working towards walking in the real wordAs the demonstration video above shows, the new stride isnt perfect, but its an improvement over what the companys robots displayed just a month earlier. The latest version moves more naturally, especially in its heel and lower leg movements. Figure exposed its horde of simulated robots to a variety of different terrains. It also had them adapt to unexpected scenarios like being tripped or shoved. The company sees this all as a step toward making its robots move more like humans in a real, unpredictable physical world.These initial results are exciting, but we believe they only hint at the full potential of our technology, Figure writes. Were committed to extending our learned policy to handle every human-like scenario the robot might face in the real world.Research suggests that humans tend to respond more positively to robots when they appear more human-like and can hold a conversation. This same trait also makes people less likely to bludgeon the machinesa factor that could become increasingly important as humanoid robot manufacturers push for wider adoption across various industries. Figure AI has already secured a deal with BMW to test its robots in a South Carolina manufacturing facility, while Amazon is reportedly trialing humanoid robots from Agility Robotics in some of its warehouses.Robots are finally getting better at the little thingsHumanoid robots have been performing backflips and dance routines for years, but they often struggle with the simple tasks humans take for granted. This contrastwhere robots excel at challenges humans find difficult but fail at tasks humans find easyis often referred to in robotics as Moravecs Paradox. While advances in AI models have helped narrow this gap in recent years, theres still a long way to go.Google DeepMind just last year made a major breakthrough by finally teaching a robot how to tie a shoe. Even then, after decades of robotics research, the robot did a worse job than some school-age children. At the same time, robots today still struggle to lightly grip various objects without crushing them and often have about as much sense of balance as a human after one too many margaritas. More deals, reviews, and buying guidesThe PopSci team has tested hundreds of products and spent thousands of hours trying to find the best gear and gadgets you can buy.SEE MORE GEAR

Nature, Published online: 27 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00559-5Learning how to influence the way people see me when I enter a room has been key to boosting my confidence in job interviews.

Nature, Published online: 26 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08921-3Long-term impact and biological recovery in a deep-sea mining track

A budget smartwatch with a lightweight and stylish design that's let down by clumsy navigation and poor battery life.

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