Ever since Donald Trump declared hed act like a dictator on Day 1 during his presidential campaign, there have been real concerns that hed be true to his word that hed take a series of unilateral actions that threaten the integrity of American democracy.With Trumps Inauguration Day in the rearview mirror, were in a position to assess just how justified those fears were. Four specific moves illegally attempting to end birthright citizenship, reviving the Schedule F order that could initiate a civil service purge, pardoning January 6 rioters, and ordering multiple investigations into the Biden administration deserve particular attention. Each contributes, in its own way, to the weakening of democratic principles such as the rule of law and nonpartisan government that prevent authoritarian-inclined leaders like Trump from consolidating power. If he gets away with each of them, it will likely invite anti-democratic behavior of greater and greater import. They are tests, of a kind: early ways of assessing how resilient our system will prove to an anti-democratic leader. Well all soon learn the answer.Trumps blatantly unconstitutional immigration orderThe 14th Amendment of the US Constitution makes it achingly clear: Anyone who is born in the United States is a citizen. Trumps most troubling executive order attempts to overturn this constitutional right by executive fiat, ordering US officials to stop issuing citizenship documents to any future children born to undocumented migrants. Its an order that will test just how willing the federal bureaucracy and the courts are to defend against unlawful Trumpian behavior.The precise wording of the amendment All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside is fairly straightforward. Trumps argument is that undocumented migrants and immigrants with temporary visas are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, but the case is legally absurd.The only people inside the US nowadays who are not subject to the jurisdiction of the country are diplomats, as they enjoy diplomatic immunity from American law. Undocumented and temporary migrants, who can be arrested by American police and deported by American courts, are very much subject to American jurisdiction which means their children would clearly be American citizens. This is not merely my interpretation of the law, but also red-letter Supreme Court precedent. In the 1898 case US v. Wong Kim Ark, the Court ruled definitively that the 14th Amendment applies even to the children of migrants who are ineligible to be naturalized. So Trump isnt just offering an implausible interpretation of the amendments text; he is ordering federal officials to ignore the law as defined by the Supreme Court and listen to him instead.When given an illegal order, government employees are within their rights to refuse it. The extent to which the federal bureaucracy ignores this order will test just how willing theyll be to act on those rights. And the extent to which federal courts step in to stop Trumps efforts to amend the Constitution unilaterally will test how willing Republican judges and justices are to put the rule of law over Trump and the GOPs interests.Trumps Schedule F ticking time bombAt the tail end of Trumps first time in office, he issued an executive order creating a new classification for federal civil servants called Schedule F essentially, a tool for converting a civil servant jobs protected from removal based on party into political appointments he could fire at will. The order got nowhere before former President Joe Biden took office and promptly repealed it.Well, Schedule F is back. One of Trumps Day 1 executive actions restored the 2020 order and added a few tweaks, including an inquiry as to whether additional categories of positions should be included in Schedule F beyond the ones considered in the first executive order.In theory, this could be as damaging to democracy as the birthright citizenship order if not more so. Schedule F in its original form applied, per some estimates, to somewhere around 50,000 civil servants (and potentially quite a lot more). Purging that many people and allowing Trump to replace them with cronies would be a powerful tool for turning the federal government into an extension of his will.But at present, the scope of the threat is hypothetical.We dont know how many positions Trump will come after, or how effectively he can get around the legal roadblocks Biden erected to prevent such a purge. All the executive order does at present is create a tool that Trump could abuse; how much itll be abused, and whether its abuse can be stopped via litigation, remains unclear.Trumps dangerous pardons for January 6 offensesWhen it came to people convicted of crimes relating to January 6, a group Trump calls J6 hostages, there was a range of plausible predictions including, for example, reserving pardons for only nonviolent offenders.Trump chose maximalism. His proclamation commuted the sentence of 14 offenders, including Oathkeepers leader Stewart Rhodes, and then issued a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. All told, thats roughly 1,500 insurrectionists whose convictions were wiped out at the stroke of a pen. He also instructed the Department of Justice to dismiss all pending indictments related to that days events.The threats to democracy here are threefold.RelatedFirst, the move incentivizes future political violence. Any extreme right-wingers who want to attack Democrats now have at least some cause to believe that the president will shield them from legal consequences. Second, it abuses the extraordinary latitude of the pardon power. As Biden demonstrated on his way out, the president currently enjoys fairly wide discretion to pardon whoever they please. In theory, the pardon power could be used to induce any government official to break the law, as Trump could simply promise a pardon if they get caught. Trump going this far this early suggests he might be willing to push the power to limits.Third, Trumps involvement in what should theoretically be a Department of Justice affair decisions on which specific cases ought to be pursued reminds us that he has little respect for the departments traditional independence, seeing it as an agency that should operate as the presidents personal lawyers.Well see, in the coming days, whether anyone in government or out of it can think of ways to check this decisions fallout.Trumps potentially dangerous investigationsTwo Trump executive orders, covering weaponization of government and federal censorship respectively, initiate formal inquiries into government conduct during the Biden administration.What this means, in brief, is that the attorney general and the director of national intelligence are instructed to start looking into actions taken by the formal government in a series of areas ranging from January 6 prosecutions to FBI investigations of threats against teachers to cooperation with social media companies. Once the inquiries are complete, these officials are to recommend unspecified punishments for any wrongdoing uncovered.In theory, this could amount to nothing: an order to look into something that quietly fades away. But it also could begin a process by which Trumps picks for these two positions, Pam Bondi and Tulsi Gabbard (both still unconfirmed), begin identifying federal officials to be purged and replaced by Trump loyalists above and beyond the Schedule F proceedings. It could also create a pretext for prosecuting Trumps political opponents in the private sector, or at least initiating burdensome investigations into their business.Which of these two outcomes is more likely depends on Cabinet officials in question. If confirmed, Gabbard and (especially) Bondi will be in charge of interpreting these orders, with wide latitude to do as they please. Their choices, and the decisions of those who answer to them, will determine whether or not this ends up being a nothingburger or a harbinger of a democratic crisis to come.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Nature, Published online: 21 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00142-yPublishing highly cited papers helps postdoctoral researchers to land a faculty job.

Have a look at this beautiful 2D-like owl animation created in Blenderby Michiro Ito, also known as ito3am online, in their recognizable monochrome style.The scene looks like it was made out of paper, complete with checkered leaves on the swaying trees.You can enjoy these 3D illustrations on Itos X/Twitter, and these Moomins scenes are a great place to start your journey into the artists works.Also, join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Mysterious Paper-Like Monochrome Owl Animation Made in Blender appeared first on CG SHARES.

Penitents End is an island shrouded in tragedy, lost souls, and treacherous beasts. Despite being known for its looming darkness, the area is also home to the Fools and the Dragon of Dirge in Wuthering Waves. The region is rather interesting to explore as its filled with darker enemies and endless caves.

Wooper and Paldean Wooper, the water fish and poison fish Pokmon from Johto and Paldea, can be found in the wild in Pokmon Go. Yes, Wooper and Paldean Wooper can be shiny in Pokmon Go!Both the Johto version of Wooper and Paldean Wooper have great shinies. The former was introduced as part of Wooper Community Day in November 2023. If you already have these, its very likely from that event.What is the shiny rate for Wooper and Paldean Wooper in Pokmon Go?As per old research by the now-defunct website The Silph Road (viaWayback Machine), the shiny rate for Pokmon on a regular day is approximately one in 500. Wooper and Paldean Wooper are not confirmed Pokmon that gets a permaboost (meaning that its a rare spawn and thus gets a boosted shiny rate).What can I do to attract more shiny Pokmon?Not much, unfortunately. It appears to be random chance. Shiny Pokmon catch rates are set by developer Niantic, and they are typically only boosted during special events like Community Days or Safari Zones, or in Legendary Raids. There are no consumable items that boost shiny Pokmon rates.Where can I find a list of available shiny Pokmon?LeekDuck keeps a list of currently available shiny Pokmon. Its a helpful visual guide that illustrates what all of the existing shiny Pokmon look like.For more tips, check out Polygons Pokmon Go guides.

When President Biden took office back in 2021, he issued several executive orders to address climate change. Now, the reverse is happening. President Trump is in charge now and he is signing EOs at a fevered pace. Many of these actions seek to limit or reverse any changes made by the Biden administration, taking the oft-used head in the sand approach to climate policy. Trump's first step was to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement... again.Trump began the executive order deluge by rescinding 78 of the Biden administration's EOs, including one on AI guidelines, before implementing a federal hiring freeze and mandating no new regulations. Keep in mind that an EO cannot change a law or regulation, but that wont stop Trump from trying. In other words, some of this stuff will end up mired in lengthy legal battles.Trump withdrew the US from the Paris climate agreement during his first term and then Biden reinstated it. Now, history repeats itself. The president has once again taken the US off the agreement roster. This puts the US as one of the few nations that arent part of the 2015 accord, joining Iran, Libya, South Sudan, Eritrea and Yemen.This also means that the US is likely dropping any pledges it made under the pact, including a promise of climate aid for developing nations and a commitment to cut emissions up to 66 percent by 2035. The Trump administration has to notify the United Nations in writing of its intention to withdraw from the accord, which will take a year to become official.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/president-trump-withdraws-the-us-from-the-paris-climate-agreement-again-002803951.html?src=rss

Private investment into AI in the UK has skyrocketed in recent months, DSIT report claims

Dexter Studios presents the Light Shop VFX showreel, illuminating a unique world where light and mystery collide. The story revolves around six strangers stuck in a shadowy neighborhood, drawn to a mysterious shop that shines brightly in the darkness. As they explore the shop, secrets from their forgotten pasts come to light, unveiling a hidden narrative.With visually stunning effects, Dexter Studios masterfully brings the haunting yet captivating world of Light Shop to life.The post Light Shop VFX Showreel by Dexter Studios appeared first on Vfxexpress.

During his first term as president,Donald Trumpled the effort to ban TikTok, the hugely popular video-sharing site he said posed a threat to U.S. national security. But on the eve of his return to the White House, the president-elect is being hailed as the apps savior.After going dark for users this weekend, Trump said on his social media site that he would issue an executive order after hes sworn in for a second term on Monday delaying a TikTok ban so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. He said the order would make clear that companies will not be held liable for violating a law that aimed to force TikToks sale by its China-based parent company. Hours later, the app returned, to the relief of its legions of dedicated users.Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trumps efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! read the announcement.Trumps legal authority to unilaterally decide not to enforce the law, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in April andwas upheld by the Supreme Courton Friday, is unclear. But the rapid developments over the weekend served as a reminder of how dramatically debates over technology, social media, and national security have changed since Trump was last in the White House. It also signaled how closely Trump is following those shifts after waging a successful campaign in which he made inroads with voters in part by harnessing the appeal of some social media platforms.Trump can now take credit for reviving an app with 170 million users that is especially popular with younger Americans, many of whom spend hours a day on the platform to get news, make money, and find entertainment.This is one of those things where the domestic politics has become so upside down and crazy that it turns out theres only upside for Trump now, said Bill Bishop, a China expert who has been closely following the back-and-forth. If the ban ends up being enforced, he said, Trump will say it was on outgoing President Joe Bidens watch. And if it does come back then Trump is a savior. And he will be rewarded both by users, as well as the company, which he said is now beholden to Trump and will have an incentive to make sure content on the platform is favorable to him.TikToks move comes as tech companies and CEOs have been working furiously toimprove their standing with Trump. X owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has enjoyed unprecedented access to the president-elect after spending more than $200 million and personally campaigning to help him get elected.Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and reshaped his social media platforms policies to align more closely with Trumps worldview earlier this month,ending third-party fact-checking, loosening rules against hate speech, ending his companys diversity and equity policies, and naming Dana White, the president and CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship and afamiliar figurein Trumps orbit, to its board.OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Amazon, Meta, and Google have all pledged to donate $1 million each to Trumps inaugural fund.The companies have a lot on the line, including regulatory challenges. Although federal regulators began cracking down on Google and Facebook during Trumps first term as presidentand flourished under Bidenmost experts expect his second administration toease up on antitrust enforcementand be more receptive to business mergers.TikTok also worked to curry Trumps favor, with CEO Shou Chew meeting with him at Mar-a-Lago in December and later present in Washington over the weekend for Trumps inauguration. In avideo responding to the Supreme Court decision, Chew was careful to praise Trump and cast the apps fate as dependent on him.On behalf of everyone at TikTok and all our users across the country, I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States, he said. We are grateful and pleased to have the support of a president who truly understands our platform.When the app went dark, it had initially posted a simple message informing users of the change, but later updated the language to include Trump.Sorry, TikTok isnt available right now, it read. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you cant use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!The federal law had required TikTok parent company ByteDance to cut ties with the platforms U.S. operations by Sunday. The Biden administration had stressed in recent days that it did not intend to enforce the ban before Trump took office. But TikTok said it would nonetheless go dark because the Biden administrationhad not provided necessary clarity and assuranceto service providersa stance outgoing Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer cast as disingenuous.Frankly, it doesnt feel completely on the level, he said on ABCs This Week. I think we were extremely clear that there was no need to take this action, he said.Trump said inan interview with NBC Newson Saturday that he was considering granting ByteDance a 90-day extension to sell. ByteDance has repeatedly refused to sell, but the company is being eyed by investors including Trumpsformer Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchinand billionaire businessmanFrank McCourt.Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell Universitys Tech Policy Institute, said there was no evidence ByteDance had made any meaningful progress toward divestiture, so I dont see how, by any measure, it would legally meet those conditions.Further, an Executive Order cannot legally override or cancel a law that Congress passed, she said. Laws enacted through the legislative process have a higher legal standing and an EO that conflicts with the existing law, the law takes precedence and the EO would likely be struck down by the courts.Sen. Tom Cotton, the Republican chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, warned Sunday that there is no legal basis for the kind of extension Trump is pursuing.Any company that hosts, distributes, services, or otherwise facilitates communist-controlled TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars of ruinous liability under the law, not just from DOJ, but also under securities law, shareholder lawsuits, and state AGs,he wrote on X. Think about it.Trump, in his Sunday post, proposed new terms of a deal in which he said the United States would have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture that would be set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose. But the details remained murky and it was unclear whether Trump was proposing control by the U.S. government or another company. Trump did not elaborate during a rally Sunday night, where he hailed the move.As of today, TikTok is back, he said. We have no choice. We have to save it.Though Trump sought to ban TikTok during his first term, he reversed that stance during his 2024 campaign, when he came to believe a ban would help the apps rival, Facebook, which he held responsible, in part, to his 2020 election loss to Biden.Trump ended upjoining the app last yearand has grown his following to nearly 15 million users. He has since credited the app for helping him win over young voters.I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok, he said during a December news conference. TikTok had an impact.Jill Colvin and Barbara Ortutay, Associated PressAssociated Press writers Charlotte Kramon and Nadia Lathan contributed to this report.