January 17, 20258 min readHow Trump Will Roll Back Climate and Energy Policy on Day OneThere are 50 to 100 expected executive orders on Trumps first day in office. Many will focus on boosting fossil fuels and reversing climate policyBy Scott Waldman & E&E News President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a campaign town hall on Oct. 14, 2024, in Oaks, Pennsylvania, as moderator South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) listens. Jim WatsonAFP via Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | President-elect Donald Trump's attack on the Biden administration's climate agenda begins in three days.How much survives the initial assault is still unclear. But Trump has made it clear that a purge is coming.On his first day, Trump could sign somewhere between 50 and 100 executive orders, with more expected over the following weeks, said Stephen Moore, who served as Trumps senior economic adviser on the campaign. A first target will be rolling back the climate-focused executive order that President Joe Biden signed a few days into his term, he said.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.I do anticipate many of them will be energy focused, because a lot of what Biden did was through executive order on energy, Moore said. So a lot of them would be rescinding things like the EV mandate and some of the environmental rules will be softened and some of the funding of the green energy programs will be lifted.The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment.Executive orders can be just as much a political message as they are an actual policy. Biden used an early flurry of executive orders to reorient the White House around addressing climate change and to make it clear that boosting the clean energy industry and cutting carbon emissions would be among his top priorities in office.Executive orders cannot change a law or regulation, but it seems likely that Trump will attempt to do so anyway, said David Hayes, who served as a senior climate adviser in the Biden White House and helped draft climate-related executive orders. Some of Trumps initial executive orders may overstep their legal authority and get immediately bogged down in court, he said.The President doesn't have the authority to essentially ignore the legally required process that typically is involved in a major change in direction for an agency under its congressionally authorized and mandated mission, Hayes said.Some of the forthcoming executive orders will become legislative priorities for the GOP-controlled Congress. Others may not survive the different battling constituencies that make up Trumps new governing coalition, particularly since Republicans have only a razor-thin advantage in the House.One early point of tension is Trumps desire to repeal the entirety of the Inflation Reduction Act a move opposed by both oil companies and at least 18 Republican members of the House.On the campaign trail, Trump pledged to be a dictator on Day 1 when it came to oil and gas production. The executive orders that he begins to roll out next week will be the first step in that process, but theyre still largely symbolic, said Frank Maisano, a senior principal at Bracewell."All of these environmental and energy executive orders are going to be symbolic in nature or agenda setting, Maisano said. The details, the specifics, the process, will all have to be undertaken to implement.Here are some of the expected orders that could start rolling out in the hours after Trump is inaugurated on Monday.Eliminate the White House climate adviserRussell Vought, Trumps pick to return as head of the Office of Management and Budget, was an architect of Project 2025, the 900page conservative policy blueprint organized by The Heritage Foundation. He has spent the past four years crafting hundreds of executive orders that Trump could issue on his first day in office.One of them would eliminate the role of the White House climate adviser. Vought has also proposed eliminating the Domestic Policy Council in the White House.Instead, Vought's plan, as written in Project 2025, would put in place a senior aide reporting directly to incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles to lead the fight for sound energy and environment policies both domestically and internationally."That aide would focus on cutting climate and environmental regulations to help boost domestic oil and gas production with as few restrictions as possible. Their focus would be to ensure the White House helps meet the fossil fuel industry's needs, and to that end they would coordinate the work of the Council of Environmental Quality, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Security Council, the National Economic Council and the Domestic Policy Council.Begin reversal of EPA power plant rulesEarly executive orders may also signal how and when the new administration plans to undo key elements of Bidens climate regulatory regime including EPA's new pollution limits for power plants.Bidens EPA finalized tough new standards for coal-fired power plants and newly built gas generation last year. Industry challenges to the rule are ongoing. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard oral arguments on it in December but has yet to issue a decision.Trumps early directives might provide clues about how quickly his administration will move to rescind and replace those standards which depend on carbon capture and storage technologies that the fossil fuel industry says arent ready for prime time.Revise or roll back methane rulesAn executive order might also tease changes to EPA rules to rein in heat-trapping methane leaked at new and existing oil and gas facilities. EPA published a standard last year that some industry groups support, but still hope to tweak. Another target is a related Interior Department measure to tighten limits on gas flaring on federal lands.The petroleum industry broadly is less keen on a congressionally mandated fee on excess methane, which takes effect this March based on last years emissions. The American Petroleum Institute in its recent roadmap for a second Trump term argued that EPAs plan to implement the fee misinterprets Congressional intent, and does little beyond increasing the cost of production for American oil and natural gas.Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced a bill on Tuesday to repeal the levy. Trump could boost that effort by mentioning it in an executive order.The EPA under Trump is also likely to revise Biden-era tweaks to greenhouse gas reporting rules for oil and gas.Target electric vehiclesTrump vowed to end an electric vehicle "mandate on his first day in office. While theres no actual mandate, Trump could issue an executive order signaling his intent to target EPAs latest round of car regulations, which are designed to encourage the use of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.He could also go after Californias long-standing authority under the Clean Air Act to write its own regulations for car and truck emissions. Californias Advanced Clean Car II plan, which has been adopted by 11 other states and the District of Columbia, would phase out most gas-powered cars by the mid-2030s.Energy was on the ballot in the last election, American Petroleum Institute President Mike Sommers told reporters on a conference call this week. And EV policy and the policies pursued by the Biden administration, I think, were roundly rejected by American voters.Trump tried addressing both those priorities in his first term, but the effort largely stalled. Since then, EVs have grown from a niche market to roughly 10 percent of new car sales. While the rate of growth has slowed, carmakers sold a record number of electric models in 2024.Try to roll back fuel economy standardsRepublicans and the oil industry have railed against the Department of Transportations decision to increase the mileage requirements for cars and trucks, known as the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards.During his first term, Trump tried to roll back the Obama administrations CAFE standards, and his supporters have urged him to do the same for the Biden administrations standards, which were finalized in June.The rules would raise the fleetwide average from nearly 47 miles per gallon in 2026 to 50.4 mpg in 2031. Trumps nominee for Deputy Transportation Secretary, Steven Bradbury, has written that the standards are pure fantasy and are intended to promote electric vehicles.An executive order could signal the beginning of an effort to roll back those rules.Lift the pause on new LNG export permitsTrump has long promised to immediately lift a pause on new LNG export permits that the Biden administration implemented to conduct an economic and climate assessment. The resulting analysis, released last month, found that "unfettered" shipments of the fuel would make domestic prices rise.Trump has faced growing pressure from industry executives to take action. Questions over the role of U.S. natural gas exports, both to China and U.S. allies, have featured prominently in confirmation hearings this week for several of his Cabinet nominees.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, said he hopes a reversal of the pause is something the Trump administration addresses on Day 1.Thats another example of Biden administration policies that just appear to be very anti-energy, frankly, he said during an event this week hosted by the American Petroleum Institute. Making America more of a resource supplier, not just for American needs but also for our allies around the world, makes the world safer and less dangerous.The U.S. became the world's largest LNG exporter during the Biden administration.Exit the Paris climate agreementTrump is expected to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement for the second time.That would put the U.S. among just a few nations that arent party to the 2015 accord. The announcement of a Paris exit may be included as part of a Day 1 executive order. The Trump administration would then need to notify the United Nations in writing of its intention to withdraw, which would take a year to become official.America's first exit from the agreement took months for Trump to announce due to resistance from some close advisers and Cabinet members. But this time, the president hasnt deliberated the value of staying in the pact, and none of his advisers or Cabinet nominees appear to have swayed him to reconsider.Everybody is for getting out, said Myron Ebell, who led Trumps EPA transition team in 2017 and was a proponent of the Paris exit. He argues that Trump should submit it for the Senates approval as a treaty, which is unlikely, thereby making a withdraw more lasting.Legal experts and former officials say the U.S. negotiated the agreement in such a way that the president could enter it as an executive agreement without requiring the advice and consent of the Senate, something that would be difficult to achieve given Republican opposition.A withdrawal means the U.S. will drop any pledges it has made under the pact, including promises of climate aid for developing nations and the Biden administrations latest pledge to cut emissions up to 66 percent by 2035.Restrict wind developmentWhen Trump held a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort earlier this month, he railed against wind projects, saying we're going to try and have a policy where no windmills are being built.The comments reinforced the perception that the incoming president will take action to restrict wind development, particularly projects built offshore in federal waters. But exactly what form that executive order takes remains the source of considerable speculation.Many observers expect Trump to halt leasing new tracts of land and ocean for wind development, and to pause reviews for projects currently in the midst of a permitting review. But many projects in the permitting and leasing stages are likely years away from starting construction, lessening the practical impact of such orders.The bigger question is whether Trump will go after projects that have already been permitted by the federal government and have, in some instances, already begun construction.Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) told The Associated Press that he discussed an executive order with Trump about a month ago that would pause offshore wind activities along the East Coast for six months so the Interior Department could review permits issued to projects.Onshore wind projects face less risk because many are built on private or state land, but Trump could stall developments on federal land.Reporters Jean Chemnick, Mike Lee, Sara Schonhardt and Benjamin Storrow contributed.Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.

Genshin Impact maker agrees to pay $20m in FTC case accusing it of violating children's privacy and deceiving playersAllegedly hid true cost of rare loot box items.Image credit: HoYoverse News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Jan. 17, 2025 Genshin Impact maker HoYoverse has agreed to pay $20m to settle a complaint - filed by the US Department of Justice on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission - accusing it of violating children's privacy laws and deceiving users over the true cost of obtaining rare loot box prizes.As per the FTC's announcement, the complaint accused Singapore-based Cognosphere - which does business under the name HoYoverse - of actively marketing Genshin Impact to children and of collecting their personal information in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA). The FTC claimed HoYoverse was aware children under 13 were using its service, but continued to collect their personal information - and share it with third-parties - without obtaining parental consent or complying with other COPPA requirements.Additionally, the filing claimed HoYoverse deceived players regarding the odds of - and true cost of - winning particularly sought-after "five-star" loot box prizes. The complaint argued Genshin Impact's loot box system - said to require players to "exchange real dollars for bundles of virtual currency that then have to be re-exchanged multiple times to open loot boxes" - is "complicated", "challenging", and "confusing", particularly for children and teens.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart 9 have been revealed - but questions remain.Watch on YouTubeFurthermore, the filing claimed Genshin Impact's purchasing process "misleads consumers about the amount of money [they] spend on loot boxes on an ongoing basis, and the amount of money [they] would likely need to spend to obtain certain prizes". HoYoverse's event banners and influencer campaigns were also alleged to give players the impression they would have better odds of obtaining five-star prizes than was the case in reality.In response, HoYoverse has agreed to pay $20m to settle the complaint - meaning it neither admits or denies the allegations - and will make changes to prevent children under 16 from purchasing lootboxes without a parent's express consent. The proposed settlement - which must be approved by a federal judge - also prohibits HoYoverse from selling loot boxes using virtual currency without providing an option to purchase them with real money, and requires it to disclose loot box odds and exchange rates for multi-tiered virtual currency.Additionally, HoYoverse is required to delete any personal information previously collected from children under 13 without parental consent, and to comply with COPPA going forward.

As we embark on a new year, there is one ongoing theme design lovers are bringing into 2025 for their homes: relaxation. While it may come as no surprise that wellness is top of mind these days, trends over the last year point to a home spa-inspired space being more than just a renovation daydream.TikTokers have taken to their platforms to spotlight their everything-shower routines and their massive rain showerheads to incorporate regular self-care in their regimens. And according to Zillows 2025 Trend Report, homeowners are on the lookout for spa-inspired upgrades like wet rooms to enhance their everyday leisure.As weve noted previously, wellness design is on the rise and interior designers are here for it. Silvana Vergara Tobin, founder of Studio Tove in New York City, has observed through her work that homeowners are continually seeking to transform their spaces into tranquil retreats in reaction to todays fast-paced world. Spa-inspired design has become increasingly popular because it offers a sense of mental balance and slows the frenetic pace of daily life, Vergara Tobin imparts.She views the idea of a spa as more than just a visual experience, but a sensory experience too. The soft light, the soothing aromas, the tactile comfort of soft linens, and the calming sounds create an immersive sanctuary, she explains. Vergara Tobin sees this emerging trend as a reflection of our desires to make our homes not just functional, but also restorative spaces.This shift can also be attributed to the rise of nudge architecture, according to Patricia Kennedy, founder of Rendezvous Design in Greater South Florida. She calls this the art of incorporating wellness throughout our spaces to gently prompt moments of mindfulness throughout the day.Thankfully you dont have to remodel your home to make a spa-inspired space a reality. Kennedy recommends grounding your home with harmonious elements like flowing water and metal accents for balance and refinement. By thoughtfully selecting luxurious accessories, layers of texture in materials, and serene color palettes, a spa-inspired home brings a sense of wellness and relaxation into everyday life, Vergara Tobin adds.Below, interior designers break down all of the key elements that can add calming elements to your space. Whether you want to upgrade your bathroom for spa days or give your entire home a peaceful refresh, these ideas will help you create a restorative atmosphere.Incorporate indirect lightingLight is more than just illuminationits an element that interacts with materials and textures in transformative ways, says Vergara Tobin. She recommends prioritizing indirect lighting to create a soothing atmosphere, as direct light can cast a harsh glare on its surroundings. Plus, consider how natural light impacts your chosen materials. Think about these questions: Does it create a sheen, amplify the light, or change the colors? One of her favorite examples is the Esculpa Elongated Wall Light by Visual Comfort, as it adds organic texture and warmth through its shape and color.Wade Logan Brynie LED Semi Flush Mounted SconceWest Elm Linear Metal LED Floor LampAllegra Wall Sconce with Linen Shade by Jake ArnoldKelly Wearstler Esculpa Elongated Wall LightUse luxe linensWhen in doubt, these interior designers say investing in luxurious linensnamely bed and bath itemsis a must to create a spa-inspired feel in your home. High-quality towels and bath mats elevate the sensory experience and add a touch of indulgence, says Vergara Tobin. Personally I use the Lotus towels from Matouk at home, and they feel incrediblesoft, durable, and luxurious.Matouk Lotus TowelsCoyuchi Andes Suri Alpaca Knit RobeParachute Linen BundlePottery Barn Morgan Memory Foam Bath MatInstall unique water featuresWater is at the heart of a spa experience, so its essential to select fixtures that elevate both functionality and aesthetics, says Vergara Tobin. A well-designed shower faucet that offers adjustable temperature and water pressure can make all the difference. She points to picks that offer a luxe user experience and design-forward silhouette to enhance your space. Plus, consider appliances like a high-end humidifier to improve the moisture levelsespecially during the cold-weather monthsand air quality in your space.Rejuvenation West Slope Thermostatic Tub & Shower Set with HandshowerGROHE Euphoria 260 CoolTouch Thermostatic Shower SystemDyson Purifier Humidify+Cool PH03Rejuvenation Theodora Single VanityUnwind on cozy furnitureFor ultimate relaxation, Kennedy recommends looking for furniture thats designed with both luxury and sustainability in mind. Whether shopping for a mattress-in-a-box or sofa, search for options with ergonomic designs that can help support meditative pause, fostering mental clarity and relaxation, she adds.Arhaus Kipton Motion ReclinerCastleryAudrey LeeCastlery Harper Lift-Top Coffee TableHugger Curved Boucle Apartment Sofa by Leanne FordEarthfoam Organic MattressAdd nature-inspired accentsTurn to natural elements to give your home a relaxing feel. Vibrant greenery breathes life and fresh energy into spaces, says Kennedy, while natural materials like wood and stone provide grounding textures, fostering a sense of stability and authenticity. One of the easiest ways to bring the outside in is by incorporating unique houseplants, floral arrangements, and ceramic planters for a fresh, organic ambience in your interiors.West Elm Glazed Ceramic PlanterThe Sill Philodendron Green PlantWest Elm Ronan Ficonstone Indoor/Outdoor Trough PlanterJJ's Flower Shop Petite Neutral Arrangement

In BriefPosted:3:48 PM PST January 17, 2025Image Credits:AmazonAmazon suspends US drone deliveries following crash at testing facilityAmazon has paused testing of its delivery drones following a crash involving two of its models, according to Bloomberg. Its the latest setback for Amazons beleaguered Prime Air program, which aims to deliver around 500 million packages a year to customers by the end of the decade.Bloomberg reports two Amazon drones crashed in rainy weather at a testing facility in Pendleton, Oregon, in December. In another incident in September, drone operators employed by the company were testing how the drones would perform if one of their propellers failed, according to Bloomberg, and accidentally launched two test flights at once causing the drones to collide.Amazon said it would suspend drone deliveries in Texas and Arizona, where it has commercial drone operations, pending a software update to its drone fleet, according to Bloomberg.Amazons drone program has faced numerous setbacks, including the departure of key executives. Last April, Amazon ended Prime Air drone delivery operations in California, although the company plans to expand its drone delivery tests overseas.Topics

With basketball and hockey seasons fully underway, Chicagos United Centerhome to the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawksis already a bustling place. A $7 billion vision to redevelop the area surrounding the sports arena and Chicagos West Side was revealed last summer and this week, new renderings emerged as the first phase of the proposed seven-phase project was given the green light by the Chicago Plan Commission. The 1901 Project, named after the United Centers address along Madison Street, posits more green space and mixed use options for the neighborhood to enjoy year-round. Its the vision of the stadium owners Michael Reinsdorf and Danny Wirtz. RIOS is serving as master planner and the landscape design for the project will be headed by New Yorkbased Field Operations.Renderings show the music hall clad in metal. (Courtesy Chicago Plan Commission)A 6,000-seat music hall is planned for development. (Courtesy Chicago Plan Commission)Our goals and the community goals and the city goals really are all the same: We all want this to be something special, United Center CEO Terry Savarise told the Chicago Plan Commission.In a presentation shared with the Chicago Plan Commission visuals and details of the planned 6,000-seat music hall were released. Renderings of the music hall show the building clad with perforated metal panels and an aluminum curtain wall. Its gold and bronze coloring appears to glisten in the daylight and glow from within when lit up in the evening hours. Other components envisioned for phase one include a hotel, parks, and pedestrian-forward greenspaces.Renderings of the hotel show a boxy, rectangular design. The base was visualized as being clad with stone, while the parking levels above are sheathed with metal louvers. The facade of the hotel floors above could be clad with a metal rainscreen system.A hotel is also a component of phase one. (Courtesy Chicago Plan Commission)As discussed when the 1901 Project was first unveiled the spaces around the United Center and corridors around the stadium, such as Madison Street and Adams Street, will be greened up. In its presentation to the Chicago Plan Commission, RIOS showed visuals that revealed planters lining the streetscape and plaza rich with vegetation and ample areas for benches and other seating. The proposed 10-acre park with winding pathways, shade pavilions, and sports field is still a part of the vision; it will occupy the top of a parking structure. Elsewhere around the neighborhood, parking lots will be transformed over to pedestrian spaces.The vision prioritizes pedestrians (Courtesy Chicago Plan Commission)Those of us who live in the community are very open to this because weve been literally living across the street from parking lots, said Alderman Walter Burnett, chair of the Chicago Plan Commission. It will be nice to have homes and businesses.A total of seven phases are planned. The developers and designers previously shared that the subsequent phases will be further developed based on market conditions and community feedback. Other ideas circulating on what they could bring to the neighborhood around United Center include housing, improved transportation infrastructure, and more park space.According to planning documents, phase one is estimated to complete in 2028.

This ornate carriage house on Pine Street in Cornwall, Connecticut was built by John T. Andrew around 1865 adjacent to his late 18th century home in the village. Andrews was born in Bethany, Connecticut in 1811, graduated from Yale College in 1839, becoming a minister and later a teacher. For health reasons he left both professions and turned to farming and stonework. After Andrewss death the property was purchased in 1890 by Charles Marsh, a local undertaker, and his wife Inez. In 1954 the barn was converted to a home by their daughter, the town librarian Emily Elizabeth Marsh, a charter member of the Cornwall Historical Society. In 1966, the Society raised funds to buy the building from her estate, but could do little to adapt it for their specific exhibit and storage needs. The Society restored the exterior to its original appearance, down to the brackets, round arched windows and cupola.

ZDNETChinese social app RedNote [iOS/Android], also known as (Xiaohongshu) in China, has gained immense popularity in the last week as a potential TikTok alternative. It is quickly attracting TikTok users looking for a new platform. The app even hit No. 1 in the Apple App Store this week, with thousands of US users flocking to join, according to data from analytics firm Similarweb.Also: Why TikTok isn't vanishing this weekend What is RedNote? RedNote launched in 2013 as a shopping platform but has since transformed into one of China's most popular social networking platforms. It iscommonly usedfor sharing tips on travel, lifestyle, makeup, and fashion. As noted byReuters, "the site has become a de facto search engine for its 300 million-plus users looking for travel tips, [skincare], and restaurant recommendations."For many US users, the migration to RedNote is a response to the US government's ban on TikTok due to privacy and national security concerns. Before Monday, the app had fewer than 700,000 daily users across both iOS and Android devices in the US. However, an influx of self-proclaimed "TikTok refugees" has caused an uptick of nearly 3 million daily active users, Reuters reported on Tuesday. Show more Screenshot by David Grober/ZDNET What does RedNote mean? Xiaohongshu translates to "Little Red Book." It's a cheeky reference to Mao Zedong, the founding father of Communist (aka, "Red") China. Show more Why is RedNote gaining traction now? RedNote's overnight virality is largely due to American TikTok users, particularly younger people, poking fun at theTikTok banand the US government's reasons for wanting to implement it in the first place. As Wired's Megan Farokhmaneshstates, "It's TikTok users who are having the last laugh.""Users are jokingly addressing love letters, tributes, and thank-yous to fictional Chinese spies... who pose the national security threat the US government aims to thwart," Farokhmanesh writes. Some examples of viral videos include Chinese users teaching Americans how to say TikTok colloquialisms in Mandarin, American TikTok usersdiscovering Chinese EVs, and even Chinese and American userscomparing medicaland grocery store bills. Show more Ryan Broderick/TikTokTikTok has become well known for viral cultural moments and trends, so it's unsurprising that an explosion of viral posts, trending memes, and funny cultural exchanges between American and Chinese users has propelled RedNote into the mainstream. Some have also pointed outthat Black and POC creators contributed to RedNote's rising success by promoting the app to their large followings as a better alternative to US platforms such as Meta-owned Instagram. How does RedNote work? I used thistutorialto learn how to navigate the app because of the language barrier. The tutorial details how to change your settings to English. However, while changing the settings does make it easier to use, there are still limited English translations when viewing other people's posts, mostly Chinese users.Also: How to delete Facebook, Messenger, or InstagramAfter choosing my "interests" and following some "moots" (mutual followers) from TikTok that I knew were making the transition to RedNote, my Explore page began suggesting fashion/style content, cooking videos of Chinese dishes, beauty content, and educational videos of Chinese society, culture, and customs. Surprisingly, I've also been seeing a mix of content from users outside China because I'm following mutuals from TikTok.I noticed that RedNote does have some similarities to TikTok, Instagram's Reels, and YouTube Shorts in the sense that your Explore page will be an amalgamation of short video clips and posts related to your interests and the content you've been viewing and liking. However, RedNote has more curated sections than other apps I've seen. You can view sections dedicated to household products, food, fashion, travel, music, film/TV, skincare, art, emotions, and even "science popularization." I would assume that's because users can create content tied to specific products. Show more Is RedNote a decent TikTok alternative? Well, no.While the hype around RedNote seems huge now, it's most likely just a trend -- not an enduring alternative to TikTok. TikTok is aglobal appwith a global user base, and about 170 million users in the US alone. RedNote has not expanded its platform to foster that same type of popularity.Also:What is Lemon8? Here's why this social app is rising in popularity againRedNote is a closer equivalent to Instagram and Pinterest, whereas TikTok runs on viral moments, trendy and niche cultural discourse, and lifestyle content. Show more Does RedNote have any censorship, security, or privacy concerns? For some US users, the sudden appeal of RedNote is already waning because of Chinese censorship rules. RedNote has begun removing US users' posts "deemed [too] sensitive" for the app, "either politically or otherwise," including posts discussing LGBTQ topics, CNNreported.Also:'How to quit Facebook?' searches spike after Meta's fact-checking banPrivacy advocates are also warning against using RedNote. In an emailed statement toThe Verge, Cooper Quintin, the senior staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, explained that "Anyone for whom privacy is a matter of personal safety should think twice before downloading RedNote," adding that the EFF has similar concerns about US-based apps like Facebook.According to RedNote'sprivacy policy, the app collects a large amount of data, including users' location via their IP address, browsing activity, call logs, and more. Also, RedNote's terms and conditions are in Mandarin, and many new users have had trouble translating them into English.It's important to note that, like TikTok, which is also known for collecting large amounts of user data, RedNote is subject to Chinese data laws. Show more Featured

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for Secretary of the ... [+] Department of Homeland Security, plans to refocus the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on its core duties.Getty ImagesKristi Noem is ready to shake up the nations cyber defense agency. In her Senate confirmation hearing on January 17, 2025, the South Dakota Governor outlined a bold vision for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. She vowed to strip away its controversial ventures into political disinformation and election interference, refocusing it on its technical cybersecurity roots. But as the Biden administrations last-minute executive order expands CISAs mission, the question looms: Will Noems changes strengthen Americas defensesor expose critical vulnerabilities during this transition?CISAs Mission: A Technical Cybersecurity PowerhouseCISA was created in 2018 during President Trumps first term to tackle escalating cyber threats to critical U.S. infrastructure. Its original mission was clear: act as a technical hub to secure power grids, water supplies, and other vital systems, while providing expertise to federal, state, and private partners.CISA quickly became indispensable, excelling in highly technical areas such as:Malware Analysis: Neutralizing viruses, ransomware, and trojans.SQL Injection Mitigation: Protecting databases from malicious code designed to steal sensitive data.Vulnerability Scanning: Identifying weaknesses across critical infrastructure.Incident Response: Deploying expert teams to recover from cyberattacks.Network Forensics: Tracing and attributing digital threats.Over the last four years, CISA has also tackled emerging challenges with notable success:Ransomware Mitigation: Leading initiatives like the Ransomware Vulnerability Warning Pilot, identifying thousands of vulnerabilities.Federal Cybersecurity Standards: Enhancing defenses after the devastating SolarWinds attack under Executive Order 14028.AI Safeguards: Developing protocols to secure artificial intelligence integration in critical systems under Executive Order 14110.National Cybersecurity Strategy: Partnering with the private sector to counter persistent threats.But as CISAs role expanded to include disinformation and election interference, its focus began to blur.MORE FOR YOUNoems Plan: Back To BasicsNoems vision for CISA is simple: return to core competencies and avoid politically charged controversies. She proposes a streamlined focus on:Defending Critical Infrastructure: Securing essential systems like power grids, water networks, and transportation.Providing Technical Expertise: Acting as a cybersecurity consultant for federal agencies and private companies.Coordinating Cyber Policy: Disseminating actionable threat intelligence and best practices to stakeholders."Determining what is or isnt election interference is not CISAs mission, nor is it their expertise, Noem said during her hearing. She has argued that functions like combating disinformation should be handled by agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency, which are better equipped for such roles.Her plan also aligns with broader government efficiency initiatives under the Department of Governmental Efficiency, better known as DOGE, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. In this climate, eliminating non-core functions like misinformation oversight could streamline CISA while shielding it from potential budget cuts.However, critics warn that this reset could create dangerous gaps. Hybrid threats like state-sponsored propaganda and extremist recruitment by groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda demand a coordinated response. Removing CISA from this equation, they argue, may weaken the nations ability to counter these digital threats.Bidens Last-Minute EO Move: A Test For Trump And NoemAdding to the tension is President Bidens recent executive order, issued just days before his term ended. This order broadens CISAs responsibilities to include combating misinformation and assessing risks associated with emerging technologies.How Noem and the incoming Trump administration handle this executive order remains to be seen. Will they modify it to align with Noems vision, scrap it altogether, or find a middle ground? The decision could significantly impact CISAs role in shaping the nations cybersecurity strategy moving forward.Terrorist Threats Loom: Will The US Be Ready?The urgency of this debate is underscored by FBI Director Christopher Wrays recent warning about the rapid radicalization of terrorists, both foreign and domestic. These actors are exploiting digital platforms to recruit, incite violence, and plan attacks, as evidenced by the New Years attack in New Orleans.While Noem argues that such threats are best addressed by intelligence and law enforcement agencies, some worry that removing CISA from disinformation oversight could leave critical gaps in the nations defenses. The question is whether a leaner, more technically focused CISA will be able to collaborate effectively with the FBI, CIA, and other agencies to counter these evolving threats.A New Chapter For CISAKristi Noems leadership at the Department of Homeland Security is poised to reshape CISA. With the rumored appointment of Sean Plankey as CISAs next director, the agency is expected to reflect Trump-era priorities of technical focus and streamlined operations.But Noem faces significant challenges. Balancing her vision with the expanded responsibilities outlined in Bidens executive order will require careful navigation. Furthermore, the rising threat of hybrid warfarewhere cyberattacks merge with propaganda and extremist activitydemands a nuanced strategy that ensures no gaps are left in the federal response.CISAs transformation under Noems guidance will shape the nations cybersecurity strategy for years to come. Whether her plan strengthens Americas defenses or leaves vulnerabilities for adversaries to exploit remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the stakes have never been higher in the increasingly digital battlefield of national security.

Blockbench puts all the tools at your disposal to make the creation process of low-poly models as easy as possible. Use cuboids to get that Minecraft aesthetic, or create complex low-poly shapes using the mesh modeling tools.Texturing ToolsCreate, edit and paint texture right inside the program. Create or import palettes, paint, or draw shapes.Blockbench can automatically create a UV map and template for your model so that you can start painting right away.You can paint directly on the model in 3D space, use the 2D texture editor, or connect your favorite external image editor or pixel art software.AnimationsBlockbench comes with a powerful animation editor. Rig your model, then use position, rotation and scale keyframes to bring it to life. Use the graph editor to fine-tune your creation.Animations can later be exported to Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, rendered in Blender or Maya, or shared on Sketchfab.PluginsCustomize Blockbench with the built-in plugin store.Plugins extend the functionality of Blockbench beyond what it's already capable of. They add new tools, support for new export formats, or model generators.You can also create your own plugin to extend Blockbench or to support your own format.Free and Open SourceBlockbench is free to use for any type of project, forever, no strings attached.The project is open source under the GPL license.What's NewKey FeaturesThese are the key features of Blockbench 4.12. You can read more about each feature at the bottom of the changelog.CollectionsCollections are a new feature in Blockbench. A collection can hold a selection of outliner groups and elements, regardless of their hierarchy.Collections allow you to better organize your project, and create partial exports.The Collections panel can be enabled from View > Panels > Collections.Added CollectionsAdded Collection PanelAdded options to export Collections using enabled codecs (#2235)Physically-based RenderingThis update adds physically based rendering options to Blockbench textures. This adds the concept of "Materials", which are optional and are an extension of texture groups.PBR materials are currently optimized for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition formats, support in other formats is planned for the future.Added materials as an extension of texture groupsAdded "Material Preview" view modeAdded option to generate PBR maps from existing texturesAdded import and export support for bedrock texture_set.json filesAdded Tone Mapping setting with 6 tone mapping presetsGroup Multi-selectYou can now select multiple groups at once in the outliner!Lasso Selection ToolThe lasso selection tool lets you select a free-form area of your texture. You can either drag to create a shape, or click multiple times to move in straight lines.Click back at the start position of your shape to complate the selection. Press Escape to cancel.UV Navigation ArrowNavigating UV maps can be complicated, especially on large models. The UV Navigation Arrow makes this easier.It's a blue arrow in the UV Editor that points to the selected face. Click it to navigate to those faces. Hold Control while clicking to zoom in on the selection as well.ModelingAdded Vertex Snap Rotation snap mode (#665)Added option to ignore axis in vertex snapAdded Apply Mirror Modeling actionAdded direction options for extrudingAdd "even extend" option for extrudingAdd unit option to Loop Cut amend edit menuMirror modeling option to not mirror UVOption in template generator to disable UV mirroring (#2218)Optional modifier for "Delete" action to keep edges or verticesImage EditingAdded lasso selection toolAdded line tool snappingAdded image export option in File menuAdded 'Overlay' blend mode for brush and layersOptimized rendering of 3D brush outline (#2559, thanks @Nestorboy)3D brush outlines now properly aligns to stretched and sheared UVs (#2529, thanks @Nestorboy)AnimationAdded timeline scrubbing audio previewMade timeline audio preview no longer clickableMenu option to edit animations and controllers externally (#1899)Added ability to rearrange animators in the timeline by draggingKeep bones in timeline when switching animationUI ImprovementsAdded linked ratio toggle for vector form inputs (#2521)Increased start screen thumbnail resolutionAdded Panels menu under ViewPanels can now be hidden in specific modes from the View menuMoved mesh tools to new independent menuMade proportional editing option visible when no meshes are selectedMinecraft FeaturesJPM import and export is now based on JEM submodels (fixes #456)Detect if texture is applied and not export as default in JEM (#2457)"Goat Horn" Reference Model for Item Models (#2248)Bedrock display settings now only exports modified slotsAdded Fit to Frame option in bedrock GUI display settings (Fixes #2592)Settings & ControlsAdded classroom mode - Mode for teachers and educators to enable on classroom computers. Restricts some features and removes social media bannera.Added setting to track selection changes in undo historyAdded navigation sensitivity settingsAdded setting to adjust 2D editor zoom speedAdded pop-up to offer restart if changing a setting requires itAdded selection tolerance setting (for vertices and edges)Optional modifiers: Add inverted option for all modifiersCenter on Selection: Optional zoom modifier (#1447)Added gamepad navigation supportMiscellaneousTool config system with custom forms, currently implemented byMirror PaintingTiled ViewImage Editor Onion SkinAnimation Onion SkinProportional EditingMirror ModelingAdded option to sync GIF turntable speed to animation lengthElement property toggles (visibility, export etc.) now display their state in the icon (#952)Using undo now switches edit modesAdded Bluesky to About windowTechnical changesAdded forms as a standalone UI element that can be used outside of dialogsAdded inline multi select form optionUpdated font-awesomeUpgraded electron to 33.3.1Added PSA start screen section IDAdded plugin contributors metadata fieldOption to get alt tri normal for face in face.getNormal()Add format property node_name_regexAdded 'num_slider' as form input typeOutliner toggles now support all Blockbench icon stringsAdded Group.first_selected to get group that was first selectedAdded Group.multi_selected to get all selected groupsGroup.selected currently works as before, but will be changed to return an array of selected groups in the future.Project.materials no longer exists, materials are now saved per texture. texture.getMaterial() still worksWhen editing PBR materials, texture.getMaterial() will return the displayed material of each texture involved, while texture.getOwnMaterial() will return the individual material of each texture.FixesFixed #1185 trackpad viewport zoom too sensitiveFixed texture bleeding when using anti-aliasing (#2518, thanks @Nestorboy!)Fixed #2563 Image reference rotation isn't applied for color pickingFixed #2588 Blender keymap conflictsFixed shift clicking face in UV editor selecting it multiple timesLocalization string for toolbox menu (#2544)Fixed #2568 UV not updating when applying a texture from menuFixed issues with cluster select modeFixed #2555 pasted selection layer appears outside of canvasFixed #2603 cannot select custom macOS app to edit images externallyFixed #2593 bedrock block GUI display preset has incorrect rotationFixed #2594 support for "." and "-" in bedrock bone namesFixed #2590 animation molang properties are stored as numbersFixed plugin loader console errorFixed UI issues when editing animation controller transitions and animationsFixed X-ray Outlines setting not working with meshesFixed Move Texture with UV issueFixed box UV template generator issueFixed #2623 Paint Bucket broken in 3D view with an active selection areaFixed console error when hovering over cubes while mesh selected with knife tool

It takes a lot of bandwidth to run a modern Wi-Fi network, especially when you have devices like smart TVs, game consoles, and laptops connected to your network. Fortunately, when it comes to internet hardware, brands like Netgear are on the job. And today, you can score an excellent deal on one of the companys best Wi-Fi 6E routers!For a limited time, when you purchase the Netgear Nighthawk Wi-Fi 6E Router on Amazon or at Best Buy, youll only pay $271. The MSRP on this model is $600, which means youll be saving $329!Thanks to its powerful 1.8GHz quad-core processor, which is capable of delivering up to 10.8Gbps, youll be amazed at how fast your next Chrome, Safari, or Firefox browsing session is with the Nighthawk! While most of our at-home or at-the-office devices still rely on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, the Nighthawk is backward-compatible with these older Wi-Fi frequencies and delivers up to 9x the performance of a Wi-Fi 5 network.RelatedThe Nighthawk Wi-Fi 6E provides up to 3,500 of coverage, making it an ideal choice for homes and businesses with smaller footprints. Youll also be able to connect up to 60 devices to the router at once. There are even four 1G Ethernet ports and one 2.5 Ethernet should you decide to hardwire a desktop PC, game console, or smart TV.Setup couldnt be more straightforward and the performance couldnt be better with the NetGear Nighthawk Wi-Fi 6E Router. Save $329 when you purchase this device today on Amazon or at Best Buy. We also recommend checking out our lists of the best router deals, Amazon deals, and Best Buy deals for even more discounts on top tech.Editors Recommendations