02 September 2022, Berlin: Resting loungers at Vabali Spa Berlin are seen before opening. (to dpa ... [+] "Saunas fight against high energy prices") Photo: Christoph Soeder/dpa (Photo by Christoph Soeder/picture alliance via Getty Images)dpa/picture alliance via Getty ImagesSystems go live. We talk about the stage when software application development projects push to live production status as if it were some kind of tangible assembly line in a factory somewhere, which in virtual terms it kind of really is. Enterprise applications running in live production ingest their raw ingredients (data), process the information streams through various stages of manufacture (normalization, analytics, AI engines and so on) and then churn out a finished product, which is often neatly packaged up for the user interface through various levels of abstraction to make consumption easier.What Is Non-Production Data?Because theres so much focus on live production systems, we sometimes forget about the data that exists in non-production environments. These information resources may include testing and prototyping datasets, they might encompass unstructured information that exists in the murky waters of the so-called data lake, they may come from source data repositories that are not part of working applications yet still form an essential information aquifer to feed IT services higher up and they could include data that belongs to recently decommissioned applications, or those that are sunsetting and about to earn their retirement in the annals of legacy software.From a data security, privacy and information management perspective, these seemingly unloved piles of information are still important from a compliance and governance perspective, so how should we get our house in order?Non-production data may sprawl from place to place with little visibility or control over whats happening. According to David Wells, head of product for data compliance at enterprise DevOps solutions company Perforce,Imagine a source dataset and a target dataset, where the source contains unaltered data and the target has been transformed into a more secure version of the former. Data engineers will typically alter actual data using techniques such as anonymization, bucketization (replacing a range of values with a single one), differential privacy or altering data outliers. To some extent, this prevents linkage attacks that might allow someone to connect data in the target set to the source dataset but the risk is not entirely eliminated, explained Wells.MORE FOR YOUArent there quick fixes for this kind of situation out there by now? Sure, he agrees, use of synthetic data is one solution but even though it is randomly generated, it usually still maintains the aggregate patterns of the original dataset. All of which means that a malicious attack can still be mounted by successfully reidentifying some of the source data if it is also publicly available (such as a list of home addresses).The Developer ChallengeDevelopers working with non-production data realities face similar obstacles, said Perforces Wells. Datasets typically need linkages between similar pieces of data. So when using test data, replacing the last two digits of a five-digit zip code without changing an address could cause an address validation function to fail, or altering a cars vehicle identification number might turn a Subaru into a Cadillac. Furthermore, the problem grows as more pieces of data are re-related (such as age and date of birth).In addition, we must also remember that actual (i.e. live production) data often poses permutations that were not considered by software developers or data engineers at any level, especially when new software version releases are put into play because actual data has patterns that will stress and strain processing in unexpected ways. When that data moves from a state of production to non-production, there are architectural implications for information compliance and safety that - really - we should have been thinking about in the pre-production stage.Data patterns also matter to testers and there is often a need to be far more realistic than many data processing toolsets will allow. All of this means that if and when any of these information streams ends up languishing as non-production data, due care and consideration are still required.The Bigger They AreFurthermore, the greater the scale, the harder the situation becomes, clarified Wells. Test data needs to be transformed or generated consistently to maintain referential integrity. While managing this may be relatively achievable on a small scale, as soon as larger apps are involved, it becomes increasingly expensive, complex and time-consuming. This gets exacerbated as systems begin having different representations for the same domain of data (for example, system A puts a persons name in full in one field and system B uses the first and last name separately). Yet, for security to be effective, teams must address a minimum of 18-20 sensitive customer fields.So, whats the answer he asks? First, we clearly need to take a more proactive rather than reactive or defensive approach to protecting data in non-production environments so that we move to a mindset that focuses on prevention rather than cure.Techniques like static data masking can automatically discover sensitive data and replace it with fictitious, production-like, fully functional data with consistent referentiality across development, testing and analytics teams, highlighted Wells. This addresses challenges in protecting both test data and analytic data by permanently anonymizing sensitive information in non-production environments. This ensures compliance with privacy regulations while maintaining data usability for testing or analytics.The Perforce compliance lead provides us with an example i.e. take a bank that wants to provide anonymized production-like data for analytics without violating GDPR.. using a masking tool like Delphix, it can:Automate sensitive data discovery across Oracle and SQL databases.Apply masking policies to anonymize personally identifiable information, ensuring referential integrity between testing and analytics environments.Use the products hyperscale architecture to deliver masked datasets within hours rather than days, reducing development cycle times while ensuring compliance.Masking can also help tackle scale by masking sensitive data at scale across complex, multi-terabyte datasets using automated discovery and masking. Multi-threaded processing helps mask large datasets rapidly without impacting downstream operations, while support for heterogeneous environments (database, files, cloud and on-premises locations) provides comprehensive, consistent coverage.Beyond masking, other data protective measures include data loss prevention, data encryption and strict access control. However, these all have their pros and cons, heeded Wells. Similarly, audits complement prevention, but vulnerabilities may not be found until after a problem is created. In reality, non-production data protection strategies may use a combination of techniques and tools. For example, an organisation might use data loss protection together with strict access control and adding masking can ensure that the sensitive data is irreversibly masked and cannot be re-identified.Cultural Shift To Security-FirstListening to the Perforce compliance team talk about the need to lock down not just data, but all data, other data and, oh, those bits of data too, it becomes clear that we need to move towards a security-first culture where data protection is baked in from the start of non-production processes.We talk about zero trust design and we extoll the virtues of baked-in security provisioning for todays increasingly mission-critical and life-critical data resources and repositories, but there is obviously a more rounded data lifecycle going on inside enterprises across all verticals that demands data management practices that are both holistic and rather more agnostic in terms of their application.

Commemorating the 80th anniversary of Auschwitzs liberation, an installation in New York tells the tragic story of the teenage girl and diarist, featuring a precisely scaled re-creation of the Amsterdam annex in which the Franks hid from the Nazis.

Trump and others have floated sending US special operations forces to Mexico to combat cartels.Experts told Business Insider that intervention in Mexico could create instability.SOF missions like foreign internal defense could be prudent, but only to augment nonmilitary approaches.Trump world is kicking around the idea of sending special operations forces into Mexico to combat drug cartels. There's a risk these operations could make things worse, experts said.While designating Mexican cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations" on Monday, President Donald Trump was asked by reporters whether he would consider sending US special operations personnel to Mexico."Could happen," the president said, noting that "stranger things have happened."Experts on the cartels and warfare said that sending any military troops into Mexico risks stirring instability, which could then spill over the border into US territory."I don't think that the American people have the stomach for what's going to happen if we start messing around down there," a senior active-duty special operator told Business Insider, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media."Just throwing any military mechanism at this problem for the purpose of just killing cartel leaders is not going to change anything," he said. "It's only going to make things worse." US Army Green Berets prepare to breach and enter a building as part of Close Quarter Battle training. US Army/Staff Sgt. Thomas Mort Trump floated the idea of military intervention in Mexico in his first term, but his team now appears to be considering the idea more seriously."How much should we invade Mexico?" a transition team member told Rolling Stone in November 2024 for a report on Trump's musings about combating cartels in Mexico. "That is the question."Trump's new national security advisor, Mike Waltz, a former Green Beret, has pushed the idea of using special operators. And Trump's "border czar," Tom Homan, has said that special operations forces could be used to take the cartels out, or "take them off the face of the Earth."Direct action raids hard-hitting missions US special operations is known for and which Trump appears inclined to pursue on Mexican soil would bring disastrous consequences, especially if conducted without an invitation from Mexico, the operator and other experts BI spoke with warned. But other, less kinetic missions, like training foreign troops or improving foreign internal defense, could prove worthwhile, they said.Such missions have long been the bread and butter of forces like the Army's Green Berets. With Trump's formal designation of cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, those kinds of missions could augment other government efforts to more effectively stem the flow of drugs into the US, sources told BI.An idea that keeps coming upThe idea of using special operators to combat cartels in Mexico has gained traction among leading Republicans, particularly military veterans. Before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a former naval officer, ended his bid for the White House, he told CNN that if elected president, he would deploy US special operations forces into Mexico "on day one."In 2023, Waltz, then a congressional representative from Florida, and Dan Crenshaw, a Texas congressman and former Navy SEAL, introduced new Authorization of Military Force legislation aimed at Mexican cartels. Such legislation is notably not often quickly reversed both of the AUMFs that allowed the Global War on Terror to balloon in scope are still in place.Wanting to send special operations forces into Mexico is understandable, said Bruce Hoffman, a senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations. Other measures have failed to curb the flow of drugs into the US, though some of the efforts at home appear to be working, as deaths from fentanyl overdoses are finally on the decline. A member of US Naval Special Warfare Task Unit Europe (NSWTU-E) provides cover during a raid with foreign special operations forces. U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Patrik Orcutt But special operations is much smaller than conventional military forces, he said, and isn't designed to solve every problem that might warrant military intervention."Despite the public imagination, SOF is not on a regular basis engaged in the kinds of operations that people often imagine, that are depicted in Hollywood," Hoffman said."They're engaged in less glamorous things like training indigenous forces, gathering intelligence, psychological operations, [and] civil affairs," he said.Bolstering Mexico's internal defenses could be a worthwhile endeavor, the active-duty special operator told BI, but prioritizing military intervention over non-violent approaches, like empowering the State and Treasury departments to apply pressure on the financial institutions used by cartels, would be foolhardy.The dangers of getting it wrongViolence against cartels could trigger a humanitarian crisis and spur more immigration to the US, said Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, a professor at George Mason University who has extensively studied cartels.Mexican civilians caught in the crossfire would likely flee communities, which could create a refugee crisis, she said. "They are going to apply for asylum in a desperate situation," she said, calling the idea of immediate military intervention illogical. It's not as simple as killing top leaders either. Complicating the grip cartels have on Mexican society is their seemingly infinite complexity, she said."We're not talking about businesses that operate vertically, like El Chapo and El Mayo, and all these guys that provide orders to everyone," she said, referring to two infamous drug kingpins. Most cartels operate with less centralized command structures and are splintered into smaller cells. Some of these focus on drug movements and production, while others focus on kidnapping, extortion, and human smuggling.If the goal is to limit the reach of the cartels and the violence and the destruction that comes with them, "you are going to get the exact opposite effect" if you start killing leaders, said Carolyn Gallaher, a professor at American University who studies cartels, in an interview with BI.Top leaders can be easily replaced by others zealously vying for power, creating an even more complex battlefield for American troops and Mexican civilians."When you start fighting an army that is not behaving like a regular military, you are basically in the middle of civilian life," Gallaher said. "And you don't have an accurate way to differentiate between civilian and soldier." Coalition and Anti-Terror Forces fire mortar rounds on an overseas live-fire range. US Army/Sgt. Brandon White Doug Livermore, vice president of the Special Operations Association of America and a senior Green Beret officer in the National Guard who has written about narcoterrorism, said special operations is just one tool in the vast US government toolbox, and can't be the main effort."A military approach by itself will not be sufficient. It will not solve the problem," Livermore told BI.He suggested a broader approach involving US special operations-provided intelligence or efforts to bolster internal security. However, Livermore said rampant corruption in Mexico's government agenciescould complicate these efforts.He also recommended a closer examination and targeting of China's role in the US drug crisis, pointing to the supply of chemical and financial support to cartels.It's unclear what endstates the Trump administration desires to achieve to define success, said the SOF operator. Lacking such parameters could lead to another quagmire. It seems likely, however, that any effective operation to dismantle them will take years, he said."It's not done in a short amount of time; it takes consistent effort and partnership," the operator said. "It's going to take a generation or two; it's not going to be done in four years."

Wildfires have devastated California in early 2025, and climate change may be to blame.Real-estate analyst Ivy Zelman warned of rising property insurance costs last summer.Here are five other states that homeowners could flee as climate risk rises.Six months ago, Ivy Zelman made a bold, unpopular call, as she's done throughout her career.The venerated real-estate analyst and founder of research firm Zelman & Associates said there was a looming threat to property values that only a few of her counterparts were talking about.Climate change, which some have dismissed as merely a boogeyman, would become an increasingly big headache for homeowners, Zelman had told Business Insider. Her thesis was that rising global temperatures, which are correlated with natural disasters like floods and fires, would cause home insurance prices to soar over time, which would weigh on property values.Those who agree with this thinking, like analyst David Burt of "The Big Short" fame, warned that this dynamic could cause property prices in certain markets to fall up to 60% in extreme cases.Though they'd love to be proven wrong, Zelman and Burt seem to be onto something.Devastating wildfires have ravaged California in January, killing dozens and displacing thousands, and scientists say climate change is partially to blame. This could go down as the costliest natural disaster in US history. And those whose homes haven't gone up in smoke may face exorbitant insurance cost increases assuming insurers are willing to cover them at all.In a recent interview, Zelman refused to take a victory lap but is still concerned about this trend."I never want to be someone to say, 'Oh, I was right,'" she told Business Insider. "I just think we all have to be realistic. How many times it's the definition of insanity how many times are people going to be evacuated, and then, 'Wow, we were lucky our house didn't burn down,' and they then say, 'OK, well, let's just go back home, and we're OK.'"Zelman continued: "I think it's got to [get] some people to rethink whether they want to keep doing this."The California exodus could continue due to high insurance prices, climate risksCalifornia had the second-largest outbound moving rate among US states last year, according to data from Atlas Van Lines, and Zelman thinks that could only accelerate after the fire crisis."Bigger picture, does the state of California have more outbound migration because people are concerned about getting their home insured?" Zelman asked rhetorically. Atlas Van Lines Insurance companies are reconsidering whether homes in high-risk markets are worth insuring. If the risks of insuring a home against fires, earthquakes, and floods outweigh what they can charge, they may decide it's not profitable to stay in markets like California."It's very preliminary, but the insurance industry is in complete turmoil," Zelman said. "And part of that has been driven by the commissioners not allowing premiums to rise fast enough to accommodate the risk."If insurance costs surge by thousands of dollars per year to account for climate risk, prospective homebuyers could take note and make lower offers, driving prices down over time, as Burt pointed out. And that assumes buyers are still comfortable with living in California long term."One gentleman friend, who we've been friends with forever, reached out and said, 'I was near the evacuation site, but I fortunately didn't have to evacuate. But I'm actually wondering, should I just sell and get the hell out of here? I'm worried about home values going down,'" Zelman said.In the near term, Zelman said California homeowners like her friend shouldn't fret. Ironically, she said property values could surge in the next year since tons of home supply just got wiped out.But in the coming years, Zelman suspects that buyers will gravitate toward cities that may be warm but have less risk of natural disasters, like Phoenix or Las Vegas. And those looking to get distance from Los Angeles but stay nearby could go south to Newport Beach or Orange County.5 states that could have long-term climate riskCalifornia isn't the only state with housing markets at risk from natural disasters that may be influenced, at least in part, by climate change.Property values could also come under pressure in a handful of Sun Belt states, Zelman said. Elevated risks of hurricanes and uncomfortably high temperatures could eventually reduce demand for homes in the region that Zelman's colleagues had jokingly called the "Sun Melt."Although the Sun Belt was home to some of the hottest housing markets last year, Zelman noted that existing home listings have risen rapidly in Florida and Texas, and to a lesser extent in North and South Carolina, and Tennessee. Those states each saw neutral to positive net migration flows in 2024, and new-home construction rates suggest that they're still in demand. In fact, the South is the only US region that has more inventory now than before the pandemic.However, rising rates of homeowners looking to move could be an ominous sign. If there was a major uptick in existing listings, Zelman said it could put prices under pressure. At the very least, she thinks owners in those states should keep an eye on this trend in the coming years. Zelman & Associates "The reason why home prices are under pressure is because there's more competition, whether it be builders opening more communities, or we have existing home sellers that are trying to move inventory," Zelman said. "I think that suggests that there is going to be more a need for people to either reduce their asking price or for builders to provide incentives."Lower home prices may seem like a blessing for buyers who've been frozen out of what was the least affordable housing market in four decades, Zelman & Associates found.But new buyers could get stuck with declining long-term home equity values unless the factors spooking homeowners and affecting prices, including climate-related headaches, don't go away."I don't anticipate that '25 is going to really be the only year that we're going to see pressure in these markets," Zelman said. "Maybe the pressure abates. But I think that it could be where I would tell a Business Insider reader, 'Well, if you buy in '25, it could go lower in '26.'"Those looking to move may want to consider the more affordable Midwest region, Zelman said, reiterating a point that the Cleveland resident made last summer.

Greenland is the worlds largest non-continental island, and it takes up space rent-free in President Donald Trumps head.Since 2019, Trump has floated the idea of the US acquiring Greenland, a sovereign Danish territory, in the name of American national security and economic interests. The idea was short-lived when Trump first raised it, but returned with force late last year. Trumps proposal took on a more urgent tone when, in a January 7 news conference at Mar-a-Lago, he declined to rule out the idea of using military force to seize control of Greenland.Even more recently, according to the Financial Times, Trump reportedly spoke with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in a horrendous call where he threatened tariffs. The intent was very clear. They want it. The Danes are now in crisis mode, one European official told the Financial Times.The renewed fervor behind Trumps push to acquire Greenland is driven, at least in part, by its clear geopolitical significance. Greenland rests amid major shipping routes that have become increasingly important as its ice sheet melts and new trade routes emerge, and it sits above major deposits of oil, gas, and rare earth minerals that are essential to everyday technologies.Greenland is also at the forefront of an ongoing Arctic power struggle as Russia and China increase their trade, mining, and military presence in the region.Unsurprisingly, leaders in Denmark and Greenland which has its own parliament and prime minister, separate from Denmark have pushed back strongly against US expansionism and rejected Trumps overtures.Were not for sale and were not a commodity, Naaja H. Nathanielsen, Greenlands minister of Business, Trade, Mineral Resources, Justice, and Gender Equality, told Vox. We have a great many friends in the US, so we are an American ally. But we are not Americans and do not wish to be Americans. We want to be Greenlanders.Nathanielsen spoke with Today, Explained host Noel King about Greenlands increasing strategic importance, how Greenlanders view Trumps rhetoric, and what America could actually do to work with the country.Below is an excerpt of their conversation, edited for length and clarity. Theres much more in the full podcast, so listen to Today, Explained wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify.Noel KingI am imagining that many of our listeners will not have ever been to Greenland. Can you tell me a bit about what its like?Naaja H. NathanielsenWell, I think many people who come here are surprised by two things. One thing is, of course, the beauty of the nature. Everything is vast and huge, the mountains, the fjords and all that. But another thing, I think, that struck a lot of people is its quite modern. I think oftentimes you think of Greenland as something where a few people live and theres not a lot of activity, but our cities look like many others. It will be recognizable for many people.Noel KingAnd what kind of people are Greenlanders?Naaja H. NathanielsenWe are Inuit. We are Indigenous people. So we consist of I think 90 percent of the population, most people here, are Greenlanders with Inuit roots. We do have a lot of people from the Nordic countries and from Asia as well. But primarily the population is made up by Inuit.Noel KingSo we have a beautiful country with very modern cities. If someone were planning a visit and wanted to know what was really important, what should they know?Naaja H. NathanielsenWell, they should know that Greenland is a modern democracy, that we have our own government, our own parliament. We have a mineral sector. We have tourism. We have a fishing industry. So these are our primary revenues. And also, you should know that the Greenlandic culture is very vibrant and rich, even though were only 55,000 people. So theres a lot of music, a lot of plays, a lot of cultural activity, which is quite impressive for such a small population.Noel KingWe were reminded in the first half of our show that Donald Trump has actually been talking about Greenland in provocative ways since 2019. Can I ask what you thought when you first heard him single your country out?Naaja H. NathanielsenWell, in the beginning, I think we were kind of surprised about the offer to buy Greenland, and we have been trying to figure out what is that about, what is the story behind that.Noel KingAnd what do you understand is the story behind that?Naaja H. NathanielsenWe understand that its a measure of national security for the Americans. And to some extent, we understand very much that Greenland is part of the interest sphere of the US when it comes to national security. That is why we have a military base in Greenland. And we do understand that this is important for the monitoring of the Arctic as well. So we do agree with the military presence in Greenland. We do agree with the ideas of expanding the monitoring of the Arctic. So to some extent we agree to what is being said, but that does not follow that we want to be Americans. It just follows that we understand that Greenland has an importance for the US in terms of national security.Noel KingYou are a government minister, and I understand that diplomacy is something that is very important here. But I sort of put the shoe on the other foot and I think, as an American, if another country was talking about buying the United States, I personally would be a bit offended, to be perfectly honest with you.Naaja H. NathanielsenYes, but we are offended. And I think what you also need to understand, as Inuit we take things calmly. I mean, it doesnt help the situation by panicking. So were not panicking, but were trying to understand what is this about and trying to work with it. The US is a very big country compared to Greenland. Were only very few thousand people. So, of course, when the US says something, we need to take it seriously. And we understand that sometimes politicians talk a big game and have to deliver a message that is maybe more meant for an audience within the country. So Im just saying, we are in the receiving end and we do not like the rhetoric. We dont appreciate it. But we want to work with the message being sent. We want to figure out how can we talk about this in a sensible manner.Noel KingSure. And being important in a strategic sense, in an economic sense, is never really a bad thing. Often its a very, very good thing for a country. Naaja H. NathanielsenWell, depending.Noel KingFair enough! Which other countries have expressed interest in acquiring Greenland?Naaja H. NathanielsenI think no other country has had an interest in acquiring Greenland. But we do feel that theres more emphasis on the Greenlandic minerals, for instance, these past couple of years, on a very sad backdrop due to the climate crisis and the war in Ukraine and the pandemic that showed faulty supply chains. Theres been a focus on where could we find minerals and mine them in a country that is responsible in terms of environment and governance. And Greenland is a good fit in that way. So we have been seeing a spurt of interest. Thats not the same as [saying that] that has really shown itself in a lot of investments from outside. We are still lacking investment into the mineral sector, for instance.Noel KingSo perhaps the message to President Trump is: We would actually welcome American investment.Naaja H. NathanielsenWe would welcome American investment. We actually made a deal with the former Trump administration in 2019, where we together explored some of our potentials and had some projects together. And we have been trying for some time to get the Biden administration to prolong or expand that agreement. So we are interested in doing business with the States. Of course, that doesnt mean we want to be Americans, but we do want to work with the States in a business sense.Noel KingDonald Trump has said a handful of provocative things about Greenland, but perhaps one of the most provocative, at least from where I sit in the United States, is that he wouldnt rule out military force in trying to acquire Greenland. First, I guess, does that kind of talk make you nervous? And second, how is the nation responding to something like that?Naaja H. NathanielsenWell, of course this makes people nervous. We have kids that listen to the media and they say, What is going on? Is the States going to come and occupy us? So its very unfortunate rhetoric. So this has caused my government to really try to convey to the public: Do not panic, were trying to work through this and figure out what is it about. Because no, I dont think that our ally would occupy us. Of course not. I dont expect that from an ally. We are part of the Western alliance. We are part of NATO. We are a friend of the US. We are a democracy and so is the US. What we are trying to do is look beyond the rhetoric and see how can we work together after such a statement.Noel KingI do hear you saying something that I think is very important, which is that Donald Trump does talk a lot. And we learned in his first four years in office that sometimes hes very serious and sometimes hes actually just talking. He is talking at times to distract from other things that hes doing. Sometimes hes just sort of speaking extemporaneously and things slip out. I think its fair and factual to say both of those things. Is there any sense that you have that perhaps this is not all that serious?Naaja H. NathanielsenI think there has been a genuine interest in Greenland for some time in America. So I think its a fair assessment that he should be taken seriously about his desire to expand cooperation with Greenland in some form or other. I think that has to be taken quite seriously. And its not only one person, as I understand it. As I see it, its a couple of people, a group of people who have an interest in Greenland. And you can see that also there has been a bill proposed about acquiring Greenland. So I think this is not just one person saying something. Of course, you always need to take your president serious when he says something, and we do too. Thats the name of the game. But I get a sense that there is something more than just talk.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:

President Donald Trump promised to set in motion his plan for mass deportations starting on his first day in office. But while he has begun to lay the legal groundwork to carry out the policy, its not clear that deportations are ramping up just yet and they may not for a while.Trump issued a flurry of executive orders designed to enable mass deportations during his first week in office. Those include directives to expand the use of fast-tracked deportations; decrease the number of immigrants apprehended at the border and released into the US; emphasize cooperation between federal immigration officers and local law enforcement; crack down on sanctuary cities and states that refuse to cooperate; and target cartels and members of international criminal gangs now designated as terrorist organizations.The Trump administration also revoked policy guidance that barred immigration arrests at sensitive locations such as schools and churches, and it is looking into prosecuting state and local officials in sanctuary cities and states.Trump officials are suggesting these actions have already resulted in a spike in deportations. They have made a point of highlighting charters of new deportation flights and their plans for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in major cities, including Newark, New Jersey, and another that was reportedly postponed in Chicago. Deportation flights have begun, Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X. President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences.But according to experts, its not clear that the number of deportations is actually greater than normal so far.So far, ICE hasnt done anything unusual, said Csar Cuauhtmoc Garca Hernndez, a professor at the Ohio State University College of Law and author of several books on US immigration enforcement, including Welcome the Wretched.The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.So, how can we know when mass deportations have started in earnest or whether they will at all?How Trumps deportations measure up so farDespite claiming that he would preside over record deportations during his first term, deportations under Trump never surpassed those under former President Barack Obama, who was dubbed the deporter-in-chief. Obama deported about 2.9 million people during his first term and 1.9 million in his second, including about 400,000 in a single year. That far outpaced Trumps 1.5 million deportations and Joe Bidens 1.49 million. In his second term, its not clear whether Trump is significantly picking up the pace just yet. Biden deported an average of around 700 people a day in fiscal year 2024, and after raids on Thursday, ICE announced it had deported 538 people.These kinds of raids may be the symbolic beginning of mass deportations. But Trump would have to sustain them and expand them in the long run to reach his stated goal of deporting millions and millions. About 11 million undocumented immigrants currently reside in the US. The Trump administration is looking to first prioritize the approximately 1.4 million of them who have final orders of removal, essentially the final step in legal proceedings before deportation.If all that ICE accomplishes is a series of splashy operations that take a lot of resources but come intermittently, then it will be a sign that the administration is better equipped to scare migrants than arrest and deport them in numbers that substantially exceed what the agency accomplished under Presidents Biden and Obama, Garca Hernndez said.What we can expect going forwardActually implementing Trumps plans for mass deportations will require a large-scale and costly mobilization of government and law enforcement. That will not happen overnight. Were not going to see a significant increase in actual deportations this year, even with the Trump administrations best efforts, simply for logistical and financial reasons, said Stephen Yale-Loehr, a professor of immigration law practice at Cornell Law School. There will be some increase in actual deportations this year, but its not going to be millions of people.The law enforcement capacity needed to both secure the border and carry out mass raids in the interior of the US right now does not exist. Getting ICE, detention facilities, and immigration courts staffed to the levels Trumps plan would need would require massive investment. That money would have to be approved by Congress, which already green lit another very expensive immigration bill in the last week and may be reluctant to drop more funds on the issue. However, Sean Ross, deputy chief of staff for Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), told Axios that she would be pushing for increased ICE funding via the budget reconciliation process and future appropriations bills. Another hurdle is finding immigrants, which may require cooperation with local law enforcement that sanctuary cities have been so far unwilling to provide. Even those that ICE rounds up might not be deported immediately. Trump has tried to expand whats called expedited removal so that anyone who has entered the US within the last two years can deported without a hearing before an immigration judge. But people who did not arrive in the US recently are entitled to such hearings, and the immigration court backlog currently stands at about 3.5 million cases. It could take years to deport people who are newly arrested and added to that backlog. These practical challenges will make it difficult for Trump to quickly implement his campaign vision for mass deportations. But the reality of it may not matter so much as how the public perceives his agenda.What hes trying to do is have a public relations campaign that sows fear and chaos among immigrant communities and assures his base that he is doing everything that he can to have increased immigration enforcement, Yale-Loehr said.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: Politics

By Thomas Maxwell Published January 25, 2025 | Comments (0) | Early data suggests Meta's controversial policy changes have not impacted usage. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Metas recent right-wing tilt prompted plenty of people to declare they were ditching the companys apps, but according to a new report, the Mark Zuckerberg-led company is still doing just fine. Citing data from Apptopia and other analytics firms, Business Insider reports that engagement on Metas core apps is similar now to what it was before the company announced it would replace third-party fact-checkers with community notes and roll back its DEI initiatives. Meta has more than 3 billion daily active users globally across its platforms, which include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. It is hard to break free from network effectsif all your friends and family all use WhatsApp, its not so simple to ditch the app. And for businesses, Meta has the most effective ad targeting apparatus in the world, perhaps only rivaling Google. X, formerly Twitter, saw a big decline in advertising spending after it lifted content restrictions, in part because its user base was small and it was never a great place to advertise in the first place, so it was easy for businesses to shift spending elsewhere. Moreover, the U.S. population is not even a sixth of Metas overall userbaseFacebook remains quite popular outside the U.S., despite sentiment here that it is dead. Its political maneuverings in the U.S. may not be relevant to people in other parts of the world. Though advertisers typically spend more money reaching users in America than anywhere else, the massive global userbase certainly helps insulate it. And it seems Meta saw an increase in spending on in-app purchases after the policy changes: After looking at the download and revenue data for Metas social apps, I was unable to detect any substantial or out-of-the-ordinary decline, Randy Nelson, the head of insights at App Figures, told BI. In fact, in some cases there were increases, he said. App Figures comparison of the 13 days before and after Metas announcement to end fact-checking shows that US in-app purchases on Metas platforms grew to $1.9 million for Facebook and $3 million for Instagram, representing increases of 5% and 3%, respectively. It helps that TikToks fate in the U.S. remains in limbo:Apptopia data found that Facebooks daily active users, which had been down about 2% year-over-year for most of January, began showing year-over-year growth on January 18, as speculation intensified ahead of a Supreme Court decision on TikTok. Instagram saw an even stronger rebound, with DAUs rising on January 18 and continuing to grow above the previous years numbers on both January 19 and 20. Ever since President Trump won reelection in November, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been on a full-court press to win over the administration following an acrimonious relationship during his first term. Republicans have attacked Meta for allegedly censoring conservative voices, even though conservative-leaning content has long dominated on Facebook. But Zuckerberg is a consummate businessman and does not want to spend four years being retaliated against, so he, along with other tech executives, have done everything they can to show allegiance to the White House. He notoriously did not like being in the business of fact-checking and moderating content anyway, implementing a pseudo-independent Oversight Council years ago to take over some of the responsibility. Trumps presidency gives him an easy out. It is important to keep in mind that Meta is not getting rid of content moderation altogether. It will still remove content over bullying, harassment, and other conduct that violates its policies. And fact-checking, whatever you think of it, seems to have been ineffective at swaying users opinions as they came to distrust or simply ignore the labels. But it seems certain Meta apps will become more of a cesspool than they already are, as fact-checking is replaced with crowdsourced notes (which can be slow to propagate) and users are permitted to write things they could not in the past, such as that homosexuality is a mental illness and all undocumented immigrants are criminals.It may be too early to say whether or not users will leave Meta apps en-masse, but be skeptical.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Lucas Ropek Published January 22, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published January 14, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published January 14, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published January 13, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published January 10, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published January 9, 2025

By Margherita Bassi Published January 25, 2025 | Comments (0) | A ridge in south-east Sicily shaped by the proposed megaflood. Kevin Sciberras and Neil Petroni Millions of years ago, the Mediterranean Sea evaporated. It may have then been refilled by the largest flooding event ever experienced on Earth. An international team of researchers has uncovered new evidence supporting the Zanclean megaflood, a theorized event that refilled the Mediterranean Sea after the Messinian Salinity Crisis had transformed it into a dry, salty landscape. As detailed in a December 28 study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, the researchers combined newly identified geological features in Sicily with geophysical data and computer models to potentially provide the most extensive look into the ancient megaflood known to date. The Zanclean megaflood was an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon, with discharge rates and flow velocities dwarfing any other known floods in Earths history, Aaron Micallef of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California, who led the study, said in a University of Southampton statement. Our research provides the most compelling evidence yet of this extraordinary event. Between 5.97 and 5.33 million years ago, the Messinian Salinity Crisis caused the Mediterranean Sea to be cut off from the Atlantic Ocean and evaporate into an expanse of salt deposits. Scientists previously theorized that, over a period of 10,000 years, the Mediterranean basin gradually refilled with water. However, the 2009 discovery of an erosion channel that stretches from the Gulf of Cadiz on Spains Atlantic coast to the Alboran Sea east of the Strait of Gibraltar challenged this theory, and instead led scientists to suggest a single flooding event. This megaflood is thought to have been caused by overtopping Atlantic waters through a Late Messinian isthmus near the modern Gibraltar Strait, which initially filled the western Mediterranean, and subsequently spilled over the intrabasinal Sicily Sill, filling the eastern Mediterranean, the researchers wrote in the new study. Scientists estimate that the megaflood lasted between two and 16 years, and discharged between 2.4 and 3.5 billion cubic feet (68 and 100 million cubic meters) per second, according to the study.Team members investigating sediment impacted by the suggested megaflood. Daniel Garcia Castellanos The team identified more than 300 asymmetric, continuous ridges near the Sicily Sill, a now-underwater land bridge that once divided the western Mediterranean from the eastern Mediterranean. The ridges were layered in debris eroded from the ridge flanks and the surrounding area, which point to a rapid and intense deposition process. The layers date to between the Messinian (7.2 million to 5.3 million years ago) and Zanclean (5.3 to 3.60 million year ago) periods, aligning perfectly with the proposed timing of the Zanclean megaflood, around 5.3 million years ago. The morphology of these ridges is compatible with erosion by large-scale, turbulent water flow with a predominantly north easterly direction, Paul Carling of the University of Southampton, who participated in the study, said in the statement. They reveal the immense power of the Zanclean Megaflood and how it reshaped the landscape, leaving lasting imprints on the geological record.Carling and his colleagues also discovered a W-shaped channel in the seabed east of the Sicily Sill, connecting the ridges to an underwater valley in the eastern Mediterranean called the Noto Canyon. The researchers propose that when the Zanclean megaflood had filled the western Mediterranean and finally spilled over the Sicily Sill, the channel funneled water into the eastern parts of the sea. The team also developed computer models to reconstruct this dynamic. The simulations suggest that the water changed directions and grew more intense over time, achieving a discharge of up to 72 miles per hour (116 kilometers per hour). These findings not only shed light on a critical moment in Earths geological history but also demonstrate the persistence of landforms over five million years, Micallef added. It opens the door to further research along the Mediterranean margins.Though the Zanclean megaflood remains just a theory, one thing is for sure5.3 million years ago, the Mediterranean Sea probably wasnt the idyllic travel destination it is today.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Isaac Schultz Published December 4, 2024 Andrew Gase Published November 29, 2024 By Adam Kovac Published October 9, 2024 By Isaac Schultz Published October 1, 2024 By Adam Kovac Published September 29, 2024 By Adam Kovac Published September 18, 2024

Liangxi Medical Equipment Industrial Park / UDG About StudioSave this picture! MleeWuxi, ChinaArchitects: UDG About StudioAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:62500 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:MleeMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!1.Background Liangxi Medical Industrial Park is located on the banks of the Grand Canal, positioning itself as a comprehensive medical device industrial park that integrates manufacturing, processing, research and development, and exhibition. After completion, it will promote the development of related industrial clusters and assist Wuxi in forging an "industrial city core" and high-quality development. As the first industrial high-rise project in an industrial area, designers hope that the new building can not only meet basic functions, but also present the style of the times, promoting the upgrading of the area.Save this picture!Save this picture!2. Innovation of PatternAdhering to the concept of "efficient development and innovative modes", the project has innovated the transportation routes. Two factories are planned in a narrow base, one focusing on production and manufacturing, and the other on supporting research and development. The two are connected by exterior walls, presenting a mechanical overall form. There are rotating ramps on both sides of the factory building, which can be used for medium-sized trucks to directly transport goods to each floor. Compared with the traditional vertical transportation method that only uses freight elevators, it improves the accessibility of each floor and avoids the value loss caused by high-rise buildings. Cars also use this ramp to park on the roof, reducing basement excavation and accelerating construction progress.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!3. The Beauty of IndustryArchitecture aims to embody the unique beauty of industry and present a clean and transparent modern temperament. The design adopts the techniques of geometric comparison and material comparison, pursuing the true expression of structure and construction. The slope changes with the passage of time, creating a rich and diverse array of light and shadow. The Canal Window adopts T-shaped refined steel columns without beams horizontally, highlighting the transparent and bright effect. The park does not have walls, and a leisure staircase is set up on the side facing the city to provide a good public space for the area. The rooftop parking lot and activity platform offer a panoramic view of the canal, creating a relaxed and enjoyable outdoor activity space for users. The combination of night view and suspended ceiling design creates a "sixth facade" that highlights a sense of technology and futurism. The lifting platforms on each floor are set up in conjunction with the facade frame. The freight channel is painted in different colors, effectively enhancing its recognizability.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeUDG About StudioOfficeMaterialsMaterials and TagsPublished on January 25, 2025Cite: "Liangxi Medical Equipment Industrial Park / UDG About Studio" 25 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026134/liangxi-medical-equipment-industrial-park-udg-about-studio&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Get Over 300 Blender Add-ons & more https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4-Q7MyUxdZEvTkrEyhzQIBCWrwtZoSmG Interior Design Playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4-Q7MyUxdZFl_1YpXrDGoScl1kKua9RH Visit the Channel @architecturetopics Support My Shop And Get Free Assets https://buymeacoffee.com/architecturetopics Follow Me on Social Media!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/architecturetopics101/ Download Blender 3D https://www.blender.org/ _________________________________________________________________ Sub .........Visit the Channel for more dope jiggly wiggly stuff @architecturetopics ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#3d #blender #blender3d