Kumail Nanjiani has reportedly joined the cast for the second season of Amazon's Fallout series. Read more

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"National embarrassment" All federal agencies ordered to terminate remote workideally within 30 days US agencies wasting billions on empty offices an embarrassment, RTO memo says. Ashley Belanger Jan 23, 2025 4:28 pm | 226 US President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on remote work for government employees during the 60th presidential inauguration parade at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. Credit: Bloomberg / Contributor | Bloomberg US President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on remote work for government employees during the 60th presidential inauguration parade at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. Credit: Bloomberg / Contributor | Bloomberg Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAll federal agencies received a memo Wednesday requiring the termination of remote work options, with return-to-office plans due by end of day Friday.In the memo, the acting director of the Office of Personnel Management, Charles Ezell, told the heads and acting heads of all departments and agencies that the change is due to Donald Trump's Return to In-Person Work presidential memorandum, which carved out space for some exemptions and ordered:Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis, provided that the department and agency heads shall make exemptions they deem necessary.Empty offices a national embarrassmentAccording to the memo, "most federal offices presently are virtually abandoned," with "the vast majority of federal office workers" having "not returned to in-person work" after transitioning to remote work during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only has this "devastated" the local economy in Washington, D.C., the memo said, but having so many federal offices sitting empty also serves as a "national embarrassment.""Virtually unrestricted telework has led to poorer government services and made it more difficult to supervise and train government workers," Ezell said, citing a report from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.That report was published last week, calling out the lack of data supporting remote work policies. It found that "American taxpayers are wasting billions to pay for owned and leased federal office space that remain largely vacant" and accused the Biden administration of making "no real attempt to determine the effects of widespread telework.""While the Biden-Harris Administration has touted the benefits of telework, it generally has had no means of measuring the effects of telework on agency mission outcomes or on addressing any existing recruitment or retention challenges," the report noted among key findings.Exceptions may be grantedEzell's memo expanded criticism of the Biden administration's approach to remote work, suggesting that it enabled federal unions' alleged attempts "to abuse the collective-bargaining process to guarantee full-time telework into the indefinite future and forestall any requirement to return to the office."Suspecting that the "rampant use of telework is likely underreported," the committee's report concluded that "even the reported levels are excessive, there is little evidence that it is enhancing productivity or addressing recruitment and retention gaps, and there is evidence it is harming agency missions and citizen-facing services."To overcome these supposed deficiencies, the committee recommended that remote work policies be linked to performance metrics, rather than "employee preferences or union demands." Any remote work that is granted should be tracked through automated systems, the report further prescribed, and any attempts for federal agencies to compete for talent using remote work perks should not be tolerated.This will allow the government to alleviate the "national embarrassment" of empty offices and "dispose of unneeded property and terminate unnecessary leases," the report said.While some employees may be eligible for RTO exemptionseither to accommodate a disability or qualifying medical condition, or for some "other compelling reason certified by the agency head and the employees supervisor"Ezell's memo insisted that a general return-to-office push was necessary. He said that Trump's presidential memo reflected "a simple reality" that "the only way to get employees back to the office is to adopt a centralized policy requiring return-to-work for all agencies across the federal government.""Seeking to cajole individual agencies to try to get employees to return to the worksite has not succeeded," Ezell said.Although Trump's memo set no deadline for RTO efforts to begin, Ezell gave federal agency heads rather short notice to fall in line. All agencies must submit their RTO plans by 5 pm ET on Friday, January 24, Ezell's memo said.Those plans should specify "the date that the agency will be in full compliance with the new telework policy," with a recommended deadline of 30 days to comply, Ezell said.Ashley BelangerSenior Policy ReporterAshley BelangerSenior Policy Reporter Ashley is a senior policy reporter for Ars Technica, dedicated to tracking social impacts of emerging policies and new technologies. She is a Chicago-based journalist with 20 years of experience. 226 Comments

Image: ValveThe Steam Deck is very much focused on the PC market, but even it's seemingly been unable to avoid the excitement of the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement last week with a reported slump in sales revenue.As highlighted by Twisted Voxel (via Steam Deck HQ), the Steam Deck is regularly trending at the top of the "top sellers" chart on Steam, but between 14th January - 21st January, Valve's portable PC hardware dropped from the top three to the 47th spot. This is supposedly its "lowest global ranking since its launch in 2022". At the time of writing, it's now back up in second place on the charts - so it's business as usual.This is just an observation (and we sincerely doubt the Steam Deck's future is under threat), but it goes to show how Nintendo had everyone's attention last week with its surprise (and highly-anticipated) reveal. Realistically, it seems Nintendo should be in quite a strong position with the Switch 2, considering the Switch has now shifted more than 146 million units worldwide.The Steam Deck remains a great device if you're a user of Valve's Steam service and is arguably the standout of portable gaming PCs currently on the market - allowing you to immediately download and play your existing library of digital games on the go.Interestingly, Nintendo might be drawing some inspiration from PC hardware, following what appears to be the discovery of an optical sensor on the side of the Switch 2's left Joy-Con. The official Switch 2 trailer also seemed to showcase mouse-style Joy-Con controllers.The Switch 2 announcement looks to have impacted Nintendo's share prices as well, which reached an all-time high. 1-UpFlexing that backward compatibilityBehold the Nintendo Steam OLED... no, that's not rightWhat are your thoughts about this? Would you still consider a Steam Deck now that the Switch 2 has been revealed? Do you already own these devices? Let us know in the comments.[source bsky.app, via twistedvoxel.com, steamdeckhq.com]See AlsoShare:00 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesRandom: Donkey Kong Country's Artist Reacts To Nintendo's Redesign"Everything changes!"Poll: What Do You Think Of Donkey Kong's Redesign In Mario Kart 9?Got whiplash?Round Up: Video Game Industry Reacts To Nintendo's Switch 2 AnnouncementHere's what everyone thoughtVideo: We've Spotted Some Secrets In The Nintendo Switch 2 Reveal TrailerSwitch sleuthingNintendo: Switch 2's Backwards Compatibility Feature Is The "Best Direction" For ConsumersSwitch is already "played by many consumers"

Seattle-based Madrona Capital is celebrating its 30 years in business by raising $770 million in fresh capital. This is the firms largest fundraise to date, exceeding $690 million across two funds Madrona closed in 2022.While an 11% capital pool upsize may not seem significant, any increase at a time when many venture outfits are forced to reduce their fund hauls is a sign that limited partners are excited about the firms prospects and recent track record.Madronas managing director, Matt McIlwain, told TechCrunch that it helped that last year in a market where exits were few and far between the firm sold a few portfolio companies and distributed capital to its investors. The firms recent exits include Lexion, which sold to Docusign for $165 million, and Octo AI, which Nvidia acquired for a reported $250 million.The LP community is generally concerned about distributions, McIlwain said. I think we stood out as a firm that had done really well on that front, not just this past year, but over many years.Madrona started as a group of super angels who wrote a check to an online bookseller, Amazon, in 1995. The firm has since evolved into a multi-stage investor that has backed companies like Redfin, Smartsheet, Snowflake and, more recently, AI startups Typeface and Runway.Although Madrona undoubtedly benefited from being the largest VC firm in the same geographic location as Amazon and Microsoft, it decided to venture beyond Seattle by opening an office in Silicon Valley in 2022.McIlwain said that the fresh capital will be used to invest in AI applications in domains ranging from travel to life sciences, as well as in infrastructure companies that can remove friction between foundational models and users. The firm will back about 30 pre-seed, seed and Series A startups from its approximately $490 million early-stage fund, and the remaining capital will go towards 12 companies raising their Series B or Series C.As Madrona enters its fourth decade, it is extremely optimistic about whats ahead in 2025. McIlwain described the current conditions as a risk-on mindset that will help foster entrepreneurship and create value.

The new Tesla Model Y has a familiar side profile, but the front and rear are rather different.James MorrisThere have been details and images of the long-awaited refresh of the Tesla Model Y floating around the Internet for a few weeks now. But most of these were from China, with no indication when the update would be arriving in Europe or the US. Well, the wait is finally over. The new Model Y has gone on sale in these regions, and I was at the exclusive UK launch getting all the details.Just for clarity, most people know of the new Model Y by the codename Juniper. But apparently, like Highland when used in reference to the latest Model 3, this isnt an official Tesla term, and the origin of it is unknown. Its also worth noting that the European and US Tesla Model Y is slightly different to the Chinese version, being fractionally shorter than the latter.The front of the new Tesla Model Y has a full-width lightbar and much sleeker look.James MorrisWhile the side profile of the new Model Y is still highly recognizable, the front and rear have been updated considerably. The front now has a full-width lightbar, which provides a much cleaner appearance than the frog face of the original Model Y. While aesthetics is important, perhaps more significant for the usability of the car is the addition of a front-facing camera just below the numberplate, particularly as the car relies exclusively on cameras for all its safety features. This has heating and washing capabilities. Finally, youll also get a front camera view when parking as well as a rear one.Theres a lightbar on the rear of the car, too, but thats less visible. In fact, the lightbar itself is entirely hidden and you only see its illumination as a reflection on the rear panel, which looks rather futuristic. The rear in general has a sleeker and less busy appearance than the original car. The amount of space in the back is effectively the same (2,138 liters versus 2,158 liters including the frunk) but the rear seats are now powered. The two buttons near the rear door lift the rear seats back up as well as dropping them forward, although if you want just the middle section, youll need to push that down manually.MORE FROMFORBES VETTEDThe rear lightbar is hidden, with its illumnation reflected off the panel beneath it.James MorrisThe interior has more subtle changes, but there are plenty there, including a redesigned center console. If youve sat inside the latest Model 3, youll have noticed the lack of steering wheel stalks, like the most recent Model S. The use of buttons on the steering wheel for the indicators is the most controversial aspect of this. If you were concerned about whether this is safe, then exhale a sigh of release. There is an indicator stalk again. Tesla claims this is because the Model Y is for a more mainstream audience than the 3, who might find the buttons problematic. There are also no plans to add a stalk to the 3 again, however.You still now use the side of the infotainment screen to select drive, reverse and park. Otherwise, the interface hasnt changed noticeably from before. The underlying computer uses Teslas Hardware 4 like the latest Model 3. Also, like the latter, rear seat passengers now have their own 8in panel with games and multimedia capabilities, as well as separate control over their own climate settings. They get two USB C ports capable of delivering 65W, too, which is enough to power two laptops.The indicator stalk is back!James MorrisThe seats are now ventilated as well as heated, so you can cool your posterior down in the summer as well as warm it up in the winter. Tesla claims the interior is quieter too, with 22% less road noise, 20% less wind noise, and 20% less impact noise. This is achieved by universal use of acoustic glass. Ride comfort is also supposedly better, although Ill have to judge that when I get a chance to drive the new Tesla Model Y. The UK launch car was static.Rear passengers now get their own 8in infotainment display.James MorrisTeslas have always been about connectivity. Its one of the areas where the brand still has a significant lead over the competition. The new Y ups the ante further, with 50% faster mobile data downloads and a 30% greater cellular range. The WiFi, when youre connected to it, is up to three times faster with twice the range. Ultra-Wide Band is now supported with the phone key, so if your smartphone has this, performance will be improved. This also facilitates the gesture-based opening recently introduced for the rear cargo door.These are just the headline improvements with the new Model Y. In the UK, only one version of the new Model Y will be on sale initially. This will be a Long Range All-Wheel Drive variant. Tesla says the drivetrain itself hasnt changed significantly, but the other improvements have enabled the new car to go 22 miles further 353 miles instead of 331 miles (WLTP). Its faster, too, hitting 60mph in 4.1 seconds. This may or may not be with the Acceleration Boost pre-applied. Only Solid Black and QuickSilver paint colors can be ordered, not the full current range of Tesla options.The new Tesla Model Y is waiting in the wings to take over from the original version.James MorrisHowever, the price of 60,990 ($75,000) is steep when the previous generation is 51,990 ($64,000). So youre paying a significant premium for Teslas latest and greatest, even if the technology upgrade is considerable. Further versions of the new Tesla Model Y are on the cards, but Tesla hasnt revealed what they will be or when they will arrive. I suspect there could be a Performance version and one with just a rear motor. But well have to wait and see.

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 16: Renato Moicano of Brazil is seen on stage during the UFC 311 ... [+] press conference at Intuit Dome on January 16, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)Zuffa LLCUFC lightweight contender Renato Moicano made over $3,877 per second on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 311.He didnt win or dethrone UFC champion and pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev, but Moicano made a boatload of cash for his efforts.Inglewood, CA - January 18: Islam Makhachev (red) reacts after defeating Renato Moicano (blue) ... [+] during their bout at UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on Saturday, January 18, 2024. Makhachev won the fight by first round submission. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)MediaNews Group via Getty ImagesMoicano revealed his passive payout, which totaled more than $950,000, on his podcast on Thursday. The 35-year-old Brazilian stepped in on short notice to fight Makhachev. Here is a look at the clip where co-host Gilbert Burns asks Moicano for a ballpark figure on his payday.Originally, Moicano was scheduled to fight Beneil Dariush, and Makhachev was supposed to defend his title against the No. 1 contender, Arman Tsarukyan.However, Tsarukyan suffered a back injury two days before the event, which worsened during the weight cut, and he had to pull out. The UFC made the quick decision to switch Moicano into the main event, leaving Dariush without an opponent or a fight.MORE FOR YOUAccording to Dariush, the UFC paid him his show and win money because he made weight for his fight against Moicano. In the fight, Makhachev easily mowed Moicano down, finishing him with a Darce Choke with 55 seconds remaining in the opening round.Truth be told, Moicano, who came into the evening ranked No. 10 in the UFCs lightweight division, will probably never get another shot at the title. Based on his age and the caliber of opponents ahead of him in the lightweight division, it seems unlikely.That said, his career isnt over, and it appears he has a fairly high-profile fight in the works with UK star Paddy Pimblett. That fight could wind up being a main event scrap on a Fight Night card or a part of a pay-per-view later this year.If this fight with Makhachev was Moicanos only real shot at UFC gold, the result was ugly, but the payday was handsome.Here is a look at all of the results from UFC 311.Islam Makhachev defeats Renato Moicano via submission at 4:05 of Round 1 (DArce choke)Merab Dvalishvili defeats Umar Nurmagomedov via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)Ji Prochzka defeats Jamahal Hill via TKO at 3:01 of Round 3Jailton Almeida defeats Serghei Spivac via TKO at 4:53 of Round 1Reinier de Ridder defeats Kevin Holland via submission at 3:31 of Round 1 (Rear-Naked choke)Raoni Barcelos defeats Payton Talbott via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)Azamat Bekoev defeats Zach Reese via knockout at 3:04 of Round 1Bogdan Guskov defeats Billy Elekana via submission at 3:33 of Round 2 (Guillotine)Grant Dawson defeats Diego Ferreira via unanimous decision (30-27x3)Ailn Prez defeats Karol Rosa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)Muin Gafurov defeats Rinya Nakamura via unanimous decision (30-27x3)Benardo Sopaj defeats Ricky Turcios via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)Tagir Ulanbekov defeats Clayton Carpenter via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

President Trump speaks to the media after signing executive orders in the Oval Office on Jan. 23, 2025.Roberto SchmidtAFP/Getty ImagesBy Matt O'Brien and Sarah Parvini / APJanuary 24, 2025 12:00 AM ESTPresident Donald Trump signed an executive order on artificial intelligence Thursday that will revoke past government policies his order says act as barriers to American AI innovation.To maintain global leadership in AI technology, we must develop AI systems that are free from ideological bias or engineered social agendas, Trumps order says.The new order doesnt name which existing policies are hindering AI development but sets out to track down and review all policies, directives, regulations, orders, and other actions taken as a result of former President Joe Bidens sweeping AI executive order of 2023, which Trump rescinded Monday. Any of those Biden-era actions must be suspended if they dont fit Trumps new directive that AI should promote human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security.Read More: 5 Predictions for AI in 2025Last year, the Biden administration issued a policy directive that said U.S. federal agencies must show their artificial intelligence tools arent harming the public, or stop using them. Trumps order directs the White House to revise and reissue those directives, which affect how agencies acquire AI tools and use them.Bidens executive order, the Trump administration said, established unnecessarily burdensome requirements for companies developing and deploying AI that would stifle private sector innovation and threaten American technological leadership.Trumps order also calls for the development of an AI action plan within 180 days. Leading the work will be a small group of White House tech and science officials, including a new Special Advisor for AI and Cryptoa role Trump has given to venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks.Trump repealed Bidens 2023 guardrails for fast-developing AI technology just hours after returning to the White House on Monday.The new actions threaten to erase some of the Biden administrations effortschampioned by then-Vice President Kamala Harristo curb government use of the kinds of AI tools that have been found to unfairly discriminate based on race, gender or disability, from medical diagnosis chatbots spouting false information to face recognition technology tied to wrongful arrests of Black men.Until Thursday, it wasnt clear if Trump planned to replace Bidens signature AI policy with his own order. Trump had also signed executive orders on AI in his previous term, including a 2019 order directing federal agencies to prioritize research and development in AI that is still on the books.Alondra Nelson, former acting director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under Biden, said Trumps order seemed backward looking because agencies would be tasked with reviewing initiatives that are already helping people, with an implicit intent to unwind them.The Biden administrations AI policies, she added, were aimed at protecting both innovation and the public.In 60 days, well know which Americans rights and safety the Trump Administration believes deserves to be protected in the age of AI, and if there will be a level playing field for every technologist, developer, and innovator or just the tech billionaires, Nelson said.Much of Bidens 2023 order set in motion a sprint across government agencies to study AIs impact on everything from cybersecurity risks to its effects on education, workplaces and public benefits, with an eye on ensuring AI tools werent harming people. That work is largely done.One major piece that remaineduntil Trump rescinded it Mondaywas a requirement that tech companies building the most powerful AI models share details with the government about the workings of those systems before they are unleashed to the public.The Trump orders focus on human flourishing echoes the language of his campaigns long-held promise to cancel Bidens AI policy once back in the White House. Its also in line with ideas espoused by Trump adviser Elon Musk, who has warned against the dangers of what he calls woke AI that reflects liberal biases.In a statement, Americans for Responsible Innovation, a nonprofit organization, said Trump has made it clear from day one that his top priority on AI is out-innovating the rest of the world.Todays executive order is a placeholder until the administration has a chance to develop a full strategy for executing that vision, said the organizations executive director, Eric Gastfriend.Agencies had already frozen work on AI policies initiated by the last administration following Trumps repeal of Bidens executive order on Monday, Gastfriend said.This new instruction shouldnt come as a surprise, he said.More Must-Reads from TIMEL.A. Fires Show Reality of 1.5C of WarmingHome Losses From L.A. Fires Hasten An Uninsurable FutureThe Women Refusing to Participate in Trumps EconomyBad Bunny On Heartbreak and New AlbumHow to Dress Warmly for Cold WeatherWere Lucky to Have Been Alive in the Age of David LynchThe Motivational Trick That Makes You Exercise HarderColumn: No One Won The War in GazaContact us at letters@time.com

NASA astronaut Don Pettit has captured another remarkable shot, this one showing the Betsiboka River estuary in Madagascar.Betsiboka river in Madagascar, remind me of the arteries in your retina, Pettit said in a post accompanying the image that he captured from the International Space Station (ISS) some 250 miles above Earth.Recommended VideosBetsiboka river in Madagascar, remind me of the arteries in your retina. pic.twitter.com/ZM7KG0nFgx Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) January 23, 2025Please enable Javascript to view this contentThe bright red color is due to the high concentration of iron-rich sediments carried by the waterway. The estuary is a excellent example of rapid coastal change due to extensive deforestation, according to NASAs Earth Observatory website. A century of logging there has led to severe erosion, with the bright red soils washing into rivers after rains. Other astronauts viewing the scene from the ISS have described it as Madagascar bleeding into the ocean.Sediment accumulation has even clogged waterways, preventing ships from traveling upriver as they once did. Tropical storms also exacerbate erosion in the area, as seen in 2004 when Cyclone Gafilo caused massive flooding and sediment flow. The government has implemented programs to address deforestation, promote reforestation, and reduce soil erosion in a bid to mitigate these environmental challenges.Pettit has a sharp eye for dramatic vistas like this, and hes usually quick to find a camera to record them. A similarly striking waterway image shared by Pettit last year shows moonlight reflecting off of locations in the Amazon basin in South America, a scene that he said looked like flowing silver snakes. Another image, showing light reflecting off SpaceX Starlink satellites, reminded him of cosmic fireflies.The American, whos been to space four times and at 69 years old is NASAs oldest serving astronaut, recently talked about his photography work in an interview from the orbital laboratory.And he likes to have fun, too, evidenced by a recent video that he shared showing how microgravity conditions can assist in changing camera lenses.Editors Recommendations

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on AI development on Thursday.Trump's AI and crypto czar, David Sacks, said the US wants to become the world's AI capital.Earlier this week, Trump announced Stargate, a $500 billion AI infrastructure investment project.President Donald Trump wants his administration to have an action plan for artificial intelligence ready within 180 days.On Thursday, the president signed an executive order calling for the US "to sustain and enhance America's global AI dominance." Since returning to the White House on Monday, Trump has signedmultiple executive orderson areas including energy, trade, and immigration."We're basically announcing the administration's policy to make America the world capital in artificial intelligence and to dominate and to lead the world in AI," Trump's AI and cryptocurrency czar, David Sacks, told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday.Trump appointed Sacks, a venture capitalist and former PayPal COO, to the newly created position last month. When announcing his appointment, Trump said Sacks would also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology.Sacks is a member of a group known as the "PayPal Mafia" a group of PayPal employees who went on to become big names in the world of tech and venture capital. Besides Sacks, the group counts Tesla CEO Elon Musk and venture capitalist Peter Thiel."David is one of the greatest in the world at AI, most respected probably there is," Trump told reporters on Thursday while signing the order.Trump has ordered that "certain existing AI policies and directives that act as barriers to American AI innovation" be revoked though the document did not specify which policies would be rolled back.Trump's order also requests that existing regulations on AI be reviewed. Policies inconsistent with Trump's latest directive will be suspended or revised per the order.In October 2023, then-President Joe Biden signed an expansive executive order on AI. The order, which Trump revoked on Monday, demanded greater transparency from companies developing AI tools.Representatives for Trump did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.AI has figured prominently in Trump's first week in office.On Tuesday, Trump announced Stargate, a $500 billion AI infrastructure investment project. The new company is a joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank.The president said that Stargate would create "over 100,000 American jobs almost immediately.""What we want to do is we want to keep it in this country. China is a competitor, others are competitors. We want it to be in this country, and we are making it available," Trump said while announcing Stargate on Tuesday."I am gonna help a lot through emergency declarations, because we have an emergency, we have to get this stuff built," he added.