• iOS 18.3 brings support for Starlink through T-Mobile, but it's still in beta
    appleinsider.com
    Apple has been working with Starlink and T-Mobile in secret to get iPhones ready for expanded satellite connectivity, and the feature is now enabled with iOS 18.3 ahead of the full service launch.iPhone 14 and newer has access to SOS via SatelliteWhen Apple initially launched SOS via Satellite in 2022 with iPhone 14, its only partner was Globalstar. Elon Musk shared that he had promising conversations about bringing Starlink into the mix, and two years later, it's happening.According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple has enabled Starlink connectivity with iOS 18.3. However, the Starlink service offered through T-Mobile is still in early access beta and won't roll out in the US until later in 2025. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
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  • Next God of War Features Egyptian Mythology Setting Rumour
    gamingbolt.com
    WithGod of War Ragnarokhaving ended the series Norse mythology saga, weve been wondering for a while what mythological setting the next instalment will head to. We may now have an answer to that question.Known insider Daniel Richtman has claimed in a report on his Patreon page that the nextGod of Wargame features an Egyptian mythology setting. As per the leaker, Sony is currently casting Middle Eastern actors for an unannounced AAA action-adventure title, which is likely the nextGod of Wargame.This would be far from the first time an Egyptian mythology setting has been broached by the developers ofGod of War. Early on during the 2018 reboots development, Egypt was strongly favoured, before the team decided to settle on Norse mythology. Meanwhile, following the reboots release, director Cory Barlog suggested that the series could head to Egypt next.Of course, leaks have claimed that Sony Santa Monica is currently working on a new IP, which might be the project that the aforementioned Barlog (who took a backseat forGod of War Ragnarok) is leading. What that would mean for the immediate future of God of Waris unclear.
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  • Techland Says its Working on Multiple Unannounced Dying Light Projects
    gamingbolt.com
    TheDying Lightseries has been a huge moneymaker for Techland for the past decade, so it shouldnt come as a surprise that the Polish company intends to keep investing in the IP for the foreseeable future.Techland is celebratingDying Lights10th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion, the developer has also confirmed that it has multipleDying Lightprojects planned. In a press release, it stated that it intends to continue the series with multiple unannounced projects.What those unannounced projects will end up looking like is anyones guess at the moment. One would imagine that Techland will want to release aDying Light 3sooner rather than later, but continued post-launch support forDying Light 2 Stay Humanisnt out of the question either (especially considering how longDying Light 1was supported).Beyond additional upcoming titles, Techland says it is also looking to expand the Dying LightIP with new board games, exclusive merchandise, original webcomic series, and more.Meanwhile, Summer 2025 will see the launch of standalone spinoffDying Light: The Beastfor PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
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  • Apple gets into AI: all the news on iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and more
    www.theverge.com
    Today, 22 seconds agoRichard LawlerBloomberg: iOS 18.3 added Starlink support on iPhones.According to Bloomberg and user reports, T-Mobiles list of eligible devices for beta testing Starlink direct-to-cell connections now includes iPhones. While only a few Samsung Galaxy devices were supported at first, now iPhone owners with the most recent update can reportedly connect, as well as some people with Android 15 devices.That gives those owners an alternative to Apples Globalstar-connected service while off the grid that works without pointing their phone at the sky first.Apple and SpaceX Link Up to Support Starlink Satellite Network on iPhones[Bloomberg]Jan 27Emma RothiOS 18.3 is out with tweaks to AI notification summariesPhoto by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeiOS 18.3 is here, and its bringing changes to AI notification summaries on your iPhone. In iOS 18.3s release notes, Apple says it has temporarily disabled notification summaries for news and entertainment apps.The change, which was first spotted in the iOS 18.3 beta, comes after the BBC called out the feature for incorrectly summarizing one of its headlines. If you opt-in to the feature, Apple will notify you once it becomes available again.Read Article >Jan 21Emma RothApple Intelligence is enabled by default in iOS 18.3Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeApple Intelligence will be switched on by default, starting in iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS 15.3. In release candidate notes spotted by 9to5Mac, Apple says it will switch on AI-powered features automatically for new users or those upgrading to the latest versions of its operating systems.The AI update will only apply to devices that support Apple Intelligence, including the iPhone 15 Pro and later, iPads and Macs with the Apple Silicon M1 chip or later, and the most recent version of the iPad mini.Read Article >Jan 6Umar ShakirApple says it will clarify AI summaries after botching BBC headlinesIllustration by Alex Castro / The VergeThe BBC reports Apple will change how iPhones and other devices display Apple Intelligence-summarized notifications to make it clearer to users when its AI tech has adjusted the words. Not long after the still-in-beta feature launched in the UK in December, the news organization complained about how it rewrote a headline about the UnitedHealthcare shooting suspect, incorrectly suggesting that the BBC reported Luigi Mangione shot himself.Since then, according to the BBC, Apples summaries had incorrectly rewritten notifications from its app to name a PDC World Darts Championship winner before the event even started and falsely claiming that Rafael Nadal revealed himself as gay. These AI summarisations by Apple do not reflect and in some cases completely contradict the original BBC content, writes the outlet.Read Article >Jan 6Umar ShakiriOS and iPadOS 18.2.1 are out.They address important bugs for iPhone and iPad owners, but Apples patch notes dont explain which ones. Apple has iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 public beta out right now, which MacRumors notes may launch in a regular release later this month.Apple launched iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 in December, which include ChatGPT integration, Genmoji support, and more.Its a relatively small-sized update. Screenshot: The VergeDec 18, 2024Richard LawlerApples iOS 18.3 public beta is now available.The developer beta of iOS 18.3 (and associated updates for software on iPads, Macs, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Vision Pro) just launched, and now theyre available in the public beta too.However, you may not have much to try, as the only noticeable changes weve heard about include Genmoji in macOS Sequoia 15.3 and hints of robot vacuum support in Apple Home.iSoftware Updates on Twitter / X[Twitter]Dec 17, 2024Wes DavisApples App Store is inviting me to search the way you talkIllustration by Alex Castro / The VergeI opened the App Store today to find an emulator Id read about, and a new prompt appeared under the search bar inviting me to search the way you talk. I hadnt seen the prompt before on my iPhone 13 Pro Max, and quite frankly, I had missed the iOS 18.1 update note about it.As it describes, Apples update in October added, App Store search lets you use natural language to find what youre looking for more easily. Its also not the only place Apple is adding natural language search with iOS 18, in addition to Photos, Music, and Apple TV.Read Article >Dec 16, 2024Richard LawlerApple releases iOS 18.3 developer beta and tests Genmoji in macOS Sequoia.Now that iOS 18.2 and Apples associated software updates with Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT are widely available, its followed up with a new round of developer betas released Monday afternoon.iOS / iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and watchOS 11.3 are all available now. The listed release notes are sparse, but 9to5Mac reports that macOS 15.3 adds Genmoji.With iOS 18.2, Apple completes its AI starter kitAllison JohnsonDec 12Dec 13, 2024Umar ShakirApples AI summary mangled a BBC headline about Luigi MangioneIllustration by Alex Castro / The VergeWeve already seen our fair share of bad Apple Intelligence-summarized notifications, but now that the feature is live in the UK, the BBC isnt finding it so funny. The summarized notification mucked up a BBC headline about the UnitedHealthcare shooting suspect, falsely suggesting the network reported that Luigi Mangione shot himself.In a report about the notification, a spokesperson for the network says it contacted Apple to raise this concern and fix the problem.Read Article >Dec 12, 2024Andrew LiszewskiYou can now use AirTags to expedite a lost luggage reunion through Uniteds mobile appApples new Share Item Location is already integrated into the latest version of United Airlines mobile app. Image: United AirlinesFollowing the official release of Apples new Share Item Location feature with iOS 18.2 yesterday, United Airlines has announced it has integrated it into its mobile app. Passengers finding themselves at their destination without their luggage can now file a delayed baggage report through Uniteds app along with a Share Item Location link that will potentially expedite a reunion.Passengers will need to ensure the United mobile app is up to date, but once a report has been submitted with a Share Item Location link connected to an AirTag or a tracker thats compatible with Apples Find My network, customer service agents will be able to determine its current or last known location using an interactive map, according to United Airlines. Having access to the Find My network data for a missing bag will allow the airline to more quickly find delayed bags and reunite them with customers.Read Article >Dec 12, 2024Allison JohnsonWith iOS 18.2, Apple completes its AI starter kitPlant identification now powered by ChatGPT. Photo: Allison Johnson / The VergeI was about to okay my friends restaurant suggestion for lunch an Indian place on 2nd when Apple Intelligence swooped in with another idea. How about The Ritz? appeared above the keyboard as a suggested response, highlighted in that telltale AI rainbow glow. The other suggested response, Sounds good! was much more reasonable. But ignoring both, I typed out my affirmative answer, hopped on my bike, and headed to downtown Seattle, where there are, to my knowledge, zero Ritzes.Suggested replies arent new in iOS 18.2, but theyre a piece of the Apple Intelligence feature set thats falling into place with this weeks public release of 18.2. Those suggestions I got while planning lunch kind of sum up my whole experience with Apples AI up til now: occasionally helpful, sometimes way off base, and often good for a laugh. But once the novelty wears off, its easily ignored just like the AI feature sets on every other so-called AI smartphone Ive used this year.Read Article >Dec 11, 2024Emma RothThe iPhone 16 Pro now lets you layer recordings in Voice MemosImage: AppleApple is bringing layered recordings to the Voice Memos app on the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. With the new feature, you can record vocals while listening to an instrumental track out loud in iOS 18.2.Even though the microphone will technically pick up the instrumentals, Apple says the iPhone 16s A18 Pro chip allows it to isolate vocals with advanced processing and machine learning, letting Voice Memos create a separate track with just your voice. From there, you can mix the two layers, as well as edit or listen to them separately.Read Article >Dec 11, 2024Wes DavisThe Vision Pros ultrawide Mac display is very close to being a killer appMy favorite dynamic wallpaper floating in the desert. Screenshot: Mac Virtual DisplaySince its release, Ive mostly used Apples Vision Pro like a movie theater. The VR headset is an amazing way to watch Dune but beyond that, it hasnt really lived up to its potential as a general-purpose computing device.Today, thats finally starting to change. With the update to visionOS 2.2, Apple is seriously upgrading the headsets ability to work with a Mac. Its probably the closest thing the Vision Pro has to a killer app.Read Article >Dec 11, 2024Richard LawleriOS 18.2 and all the other Apple updates are available now.After Apple announced iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 this morning, the updates are now going out widely starting at 1PM ET as theyre usually scheduled.That also goes for new 18.2 updates for the HomePod and Apple TV, and visionOS 2.2 for the Vision Pro.Dec 11, 2024Jay PetersiOS 18.2 is rolling out now, adding ChatGPT integration and more Apple Intelligence toolsiOS 18.2 is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Image: AppleApple announced the release of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, adding many new Apple Intelligence features, including Image Playground, Genmoji, and integration with ChatGPT. After a morning announcement for the new updates, they started rolling out widely at about 1PM ET, bringing along new updates for the Apple TV, HomePod, and Vision Pro too.With Image Playground, users can generate an image from a prompt or make something based on one of Apples suggestions. However, Image Playground seems to opt for cartoony or stylistic photos instead of photorealistic images, which could prevent potential misuse. Image Playground is available as a standalone app, alongside being integrated into Messages, Freeform, and Keynote.Read Article >Dec 9, 2024Allison JohnsonApple Pays first competitor on the iPhone has arrived in NorwayiPhone owners in Norway can now select Vipps as their default mobile payment app. Image: VippsA Norwegian payment app called Vipps is the first service to take advantage of a new, more open iOS ecosystem thanks to EU regulations. Starting today, Norwegians can use Vipps for tap-to-pay transactions and online payments, and they can even set the app as the default payment option on their iPhones, as reported by MacRumors.Its all thanks to commitments Apple made in response to scrutiny from EU regulators.Read Article >Nov 13, 2024Wes DavisThe latest Apple betas let you copy links to highlighted text in Safari.Its driven me bonkers ever since Google introduced linking to highlighted text in Chrome that I couldnt do the same in the Safari browser. Now it seems thats changing.I spotted it in the most recent macOS 15.2 beta, where it appears when you right-click highlighted text. MacStories Federico Viticci noticed it in the iOS 18.2 beta, where you get it by long-pressing.1/2Copy Link with Highlight! Screenshots: Safari in iOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2Nov 12, 2024Wes DavisApple AI notification summaries exist; rarely useful, often hilariousApple Intelligence is just doing the best it can. Photo: Allison Johnson / The VergeiPhones, iPads, and Macs with Apple Intelligence now have a unique AI feature that summarizes notifications for you. Starting with iOS / iPadOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1, when multiple notifications pile up for a given app, the tiny LLM that Apple has crammed into our stuff tries its hardest to algorithm up a brief overview for you. (Part of a group text with lots of people? Itll try to tell you what theyre discussing.) This is sometimes good. It is very often funny.I like the way the summaries handle some of my Apple Home notifications like when I read Garage changed status multiple times; recently closed in lieu of a stack of messages about my garage door. The wording changes, but without fail (so far), its been right about whether the last thing it did was open or close, so I dont have to open Apple Home or my garage camera to verify it. (I still do sometimes because LLMs can be lying liars.)Read Article >Nov 6, 2024Wes DavisApples iOS 18.2 public beta starts opening up access to more AI featuresIllustration: The VergeApple has released iOS / iPadOS 18.2 into public beta, as spotted by MacRumors. It includes access to the second wave of Apple Intelligence features that were already available to developers, like the AI-generated custom emoji feature Genmoji and the Image Playground feature that generates pictures.It also adds ChatGPT integration, Visual Intelligence for searching using iPhone 16 cameras, a more robust Siri with improved responses to queries, and OpenAIs ChatGPT is an option to step in and answer instead. ChatGPT access is free and doesnt require an account to use it.Read Article >Nov 6, 2024Wes DavisiOS 18.2 puts Safari download progress right on your iPhones lockscreen.The feature, which was spotted by MacRumors in the second iOS 18.2 developer beta, uses Live Activities, so youll also see Safari download progress in the Dynamic Island (if you have an iPhone 14 Pro or later). Now give me this but for App Store downloads!The iOS 18.2 update is expected to come in December.I never asked for this, but I love it all the same. Image: MacRumorsNov 5, 2024Emma RothiOS 18.2 could finally estimate your iPhones charging timePhoto by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeThe iPhone could finally show you how long itll take to finish charging. Code spotted in the second iOS 18.2 beta by 9to5Mac shows a new BatteryIntelligence feature that will let you receive a notification with the iPhones estimated charging time.Some Android phones already show how long it takes to charge a feature that has become increasingly helpful considering the many different types of chargers, cables, and charging protocols that are available. The iPhones BatteryIntelligence feature still appears to be a work in progress, though, which means might have to wait a little longer until its official release, according to 9to5Mac.Read Article >Oct 28, 2024Jay PetersApple Intelligence will come to EU iPhones in AprilImage: Cath Virginia / The VergeApple Intelligence has finally launched in US English, and if youre in the EU, youll be able to use the new AI features on your iPhone and iPad starting in April, according to an Irish Apple newsroom post.When the features roll out to iPhones and iPads in the EU, theyll include include many of the core features of Apple Intelligence, including Writing Tools, Genmoji, a redesigned Siri with richer language understanding, ChatGPT integration, and more, Apple says in the post.Read Article >Oct 28, 2024Jay PetersIf you want to try Apple Intelligence, youll have to get on a waitlist.To join the waitlist after youve updated to iOS 18.1, go to Settings, then Apple Intelligence & Siri, and then tap the Join the Apple Intelligence Waitlist option.Apple says that Apple Intelligence is usually available for activation within a few hours of joining the waitlist.Image: AppleOct 28, 2024Allison JohnsonApple Intelligence is here, but it still has a lot to learnApple Intelligence has finally arrived, and like most AI on smartphones so far, its mostly underwhelming.The debut features of Apple Intelligence are all very familiar: there are glowing gradients and sparkle icons that indicate the presence of AI; writing tools that make your emails sound more professional; and an AI eraser in Photos that blots away distractions. Its all here, and it all works okay. But none of it is even close to the time-saving computing platform shift weve been promised.Read Article >Oct 28, 2024Allison JohnsonApple Intelligence is outThe iPhone 16 will finally be able to use the AI it was supposedly built for. Photo: Allison Johnson / The VergeApples AI features are finally starting to appear. Apple Intelligence is launching today on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, offering features like generative AI-powered writing tools, notification summaries, and a cleanup tool to take distractions out of photos. Its Apples first official step into the AI era, but itll be far from its last.Apple Intelligence has been available in developer and public beta builds of Apples operating systems for the past few months, but today marks the first time itll be available in the full public OS releases. Even so, the features will still be marked as beta, and Apple Intelligence will very much remain a work in progress. (Youll have to get on a waitlist to try Apple Intelligence, too.) Siri gets a new look, but its most consequential new features like the ability to take action in apps probably wont arrive until well into 2025.Read Article >
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  • iOS 18.3 includes Starlink satellite connectivity for select iPhone users
    9to5mac.com
    Apple first introduced satellite connectivity features to the iPhone with the release of the iPhone 14 in 2022. The capability allows users to communicate with emergency services when out of range of traditional cellular connectivity. iOS 18 further upgraded the functionality to let users send messages to friends and family using satellite connectivity. Apple initially partnered with Globalstar to power these satellite connectivity features for iPhone users. Now, Bloomberg reports that Apple has also been secretly working with SpaceX and T-Mobile to add Starlink satellite connectivity to the iPhone. T-Mobile and SpaceX announced their partnership in 2022, and T-Mobile had previously only said that phones from Samsung would support Starlink connectivity. The carrier opened beta registration for the program in December. Bloombergs report says, however, that T-Mobile has recently started allowing a small number of iPhones to test an early version of the Starlink service. The expansion is tied to this weeks release of iOS 18.3. Apple, however, didnt mention the change in the updates release notes. In a message sent to select users, T-Mobile said: Youre in the T-Mobile Starlink beta. You can now stay connected with texting via satellite from virtually anywhere. To start experiencing coverage beyond, please update to iOS 18.3. T-Mobile also updated its support website this week to confirm that its Starlink satellite service now supports iPhones. T-Mobiles current implementation of Starlink connectivity works for texting, but the two companies plan to expand functionality to include data and voice calls in the future. Heres how it will work: When a T-Mobile iPhone is in an area without cellular connectivity, devices that are part of the Starlink program will first try to pair with SpaceX satellites. Users will also be able to enable texting via the satellite menu for the Globalstar service or contact emergency services through Apple.The initial version of Starlink is exclusively for texting. But SpaceX and T-Mobile have said that they plan to expand into data connections and voice calls in the future. The program also is only available in the US for now. That contrasts with Apples Globalstar service, which works in several countries. SpaceX is looking to expand Starlink to other carriers globally.Bloomberg points out another key difference between Globalstar and Starlink satellite connectivity: Theres another major difference between the two services. The current Apple feature requires users to point their iPhone to the sky to find a satellite. The Starlink option, meanwhile, is designed to work automatically even when the phone is in a customers pocket. T-Mobile says it expects to launch Starlink connectivity to everyone sometime in 2025. T-Mobile customers can sign up for the beta on the carriers website. My favorite iPhone 16 accessories:Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
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  • RFK Jr.'s Cousin Says He Used to Grind Up Baby Animals in His Drug Den
    futurism.com
    Image by Chip Somodevilla via Getty / FuturismDevelopmentsDoes Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sound like the kind of sane individual you'd want to be in charge of this country's public healthy policy? Not according to his own family.On Tuesday, Caroline Kennedy warned that her cousin, who's been nominated by President Trump to chair the Department of Health and Human Services, is not only a "predator" who's "addicted to attention and power," but also a total hypocrite that doesn't even follow the health advice he peddles to the public, the Washington Post reports.These claims were made in a letter that Caroline Kennedy sent to senators ahead of RFK Jr.'s confirmation hearings this week. But they aren't the most bizarre or shocking details that she shared about her cousin. Far from it.It's well documented that RFK Jr. used to have a pretty nasty drug addiction, and Caroline adds that he not only coaxed family members down the same path through his "strength of personality," but ran a veritable drug den where liked to exhibit animals being sentenced to death by meat grinder."His basement, his garage, his dorm room were the centers of the action where drugs were available, and he enjoyed showing off how he put baby chickens and mice in the blender to feed his hawks," Caroline wrote. "It was often a perverse scene of despair and violence."It's a harrowing detail, but it tracks. RFK Jr. has a strangely well fleshed-out history of doing weird and gross stuff with animals. For example, he purportedly sent a friend a picture of himself about to chomp down on the barbecued carcass of what he suggested was a dog (though he later denied this and claimed it was a goat).The Kennedy scion also inadvertently spawned a nearly decade-long mystery by dumping a bear cub carcass in Central Park and staging it to look like a bike accident that is, after his failed attempt to bring the deceased bear back home to eat.Rest assured, the saga doesn't end there. His daughter Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy claims that RFK Jr., while roadtripping with his family, used a chainsaw to lop off the head of a beached whale, before strapping the cetacean trophy to the roof of their minivan on their drive back. As one does.That's all utterly bizarre, of course. But hey, is any of this necessarily disqualifying to be the chief health guy? If you don't think so, you might be interested in what Caroline says about his two-facedness on vaccines.Despite taking issue with the label, RFK Jr. is a prominent anti-vaxxer who repeatedly peddles conspiracy theories about the disease-preventing medical intervention. His opportunistic stoking of anti-vaccine policy in Samoa coincided with an outbreak of measles that killed dozens of children.Yet privately, according to Caroline, RFKJr. vaccinates his own children. He also profits off of the vaccine industry, she says, citing a New York Times report which disclosed his stake in a manufacturer of an HPV vaccine that helps prevent cervical cancer."In other words, he is willing to enrich himself by denying access to a vaccine that can prevent almost all forms of cervical cancer and which has been safely administered to millions of boys and girls," Caroline Kennedy wrote, per WaPo.RFK Jr's confirmation hearings in the Senate start this Wednesday.More on politics: Trump Administration Throws Cancer Research Into TurmoilShare This Article
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  • Trump's Funding Freeze Halted. What Financial Aid and Student Loan Recipients Should Know
    www.cnet.com
    If you depend on federal student loans, Pell grants or another type of federal financial aid to pay for your tuition, you might be worried about the federal funding freeze that was announced and then temporarily halted on Tuesday.Just before the Trump-Vance administration's federal funding freeze was set to go live, it was blocked by US District Judge Loren AliKhan. The federal court order prevents the White House from pausing funds that were already scheduled to be disbursed but allows the administration to freeze new funding.A hearing to review the case has been scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m. ET. The court order will last until Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. ET.What does this mean for student loan borrowers? If the court rules that the White House can freeze all federal funding, it's not expected to impact federal aid that's provided to individuals. The Federal Student Aid office issued a statementthat said the funding freeze shouldn't impact Title IV funds, such as federal student loans or Pell grants.That doesn't mean that all student financial funding is safe. "It is unclear how this may impact aid from other programs that are not under Title IV," said Elaine Rubin, a student loan policy expert and CNET Money expert review board member.For example, federal work-study programs and the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant could be impacted since these funds are sent to colleges to provide aid for students, said Mark Kantrowitz, a financial aid expert andCNET Money expert review board member. However, most of these funds would have already been allocated for the spring term, so it's possible these programs won't be unaffected by the freeze.Experts say students shouldn't worry about their financial aid for the current semester."Students should expect their federal student aid to be available for their spring term," Rubin said. "College financial aid administrators remain actively engaged in monitoring policy changes and diligently evaluating their potential impact on those they serve." More on Trump's effect on your finances
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  • Trump vs. the Fed: Why the President Can't Force Interest Rates to Drop
    www.cnet.com
    As US households have grown frustrated with years ofhigh borrowing costs, President Donald Trump rode into office with a bold pledge to lower interest rates. Last week, he took a dig at the Federal Reserve, saying, "I'll demand that interest rates drop immediately."Except there's virtually no chance the Fed's rate-making body will cut rates Wednesday. And it might not for months.The country's central bank began gradually lowering its benchmark interest rate last year as inflation appeared to be steadily easing. But there's too much uncertainty and less urgency, especially with increased inflationary pressures and a seemingly resilient labor market, for the Fed to carry out a fourth consecutive cut at this week's meeting.While Trump will be able to appoint a new Fed chair in 2026, he does not have the ability to set monetary policy or change the federal funds rate. No president has the direct power to reducemortgage rates, credit card APRs or business loan rates.In fact, economic data plays the starring role here. If inflation gets under control (ideally running at 2% annually) or the job market becomes significantly weaker, the Fed would have a mandate to lower interest rates. Given how things look now, most economists don't forecast an interest rate cut until May or June at the earliest.Here's a breakdown of what Trump can and can't do regarding interest rates and the Fed.Who actually sets interest rates?The Federal Reserve sets the federal funds rate, which banks pay to borrow money overnight. This benchmark interest rate influences the rates that banks and lenders charge customers on everything from credit cards to home and auto loans.The Fed lowers and raises interest rates to stabilize prices and keep unemployment low, according to Peter C. Earle, a senior economist at the American Institute for Economic Research.To understand how this works in practice, think back to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the economy was cratering in 2020, the Fed dropped interest rates to zero, hoping to encourage spending and investing at a time when people and businesses would otherwise be hesitant. Then, when the economy bounced back two years later, the Fed raised interest rates to tame rapid inflation.What relationship does the Fed have with Congress?The Federal Reserve was created by Congress in 1913. Congress can amend the Federal Reserve Act to alter the way the Fed operates, but the president can't. The president's primary power is to appoint the Fed chair and other board members.Presidents often appoint Fed board members who align with their worldviews. However, appointments are staggered so that no one president has the power to totally reshape the Fed, said Sarah Binder, professor of political science at George Washington University.In theory, Trump could push for changes to the Federal Reserve Act through a Republican-controlled Congress. However, Binder said that any modifications to the rules that govern the Fed would need a bipartisan coalition of 60 votes to pass the Senate.What the president can doWhat the president can't doAppoint a new Fed chair in 2026 (and appoint Fed chair board members generally when their terms expire)Fire the Fed chair over simple disagreements. Fed chairs can only be removed "for cause," such as misconduct or malfeasance.Voice concern over monetary policy by publicly criticizing actions of the Fed.Directly set interest rates for the country or for banking institutions.Does Trump have power over the Federal Reserve?In 2018, during his first administration, Trump appointed current Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Two years later, Trump called him the "enemy." When asked in November if the president could fire or demote the Fed chair or other Fed governors, Powell replied, "Not permitted under the law."The president can't remove Powell before his term ends in 2026 simply because of policy disagreements or frustration over interest rate decisions. According to Earle, members of the Federal Reserve Board can be removed only "for cause," that is, proven misconduct, malfeasance or inability to do the job due to illness.At the same time, presidents do have unofficial power over the Fed through the bully pulpit. Some presidents have been known to rail against the Fed when the economy is bad, pressuring them to take action. Trump did this in March 2020 by threatening to remove the Fed chair when the economy nearly crashed, and he's likely to apply that pressure again during his second term.Is the Fed politically independent?In theory, the Fed is independent. But in practice, it's almost impossible for an entity so important as the Fed to be totally above politics, according to Earle.The Fed has several structures that insulate it from outside influence: lengthy terms for board members, staggered appointment timelines and for-cause removal projections, for example. These all work to allow the Fed some autonomy and protect it from the whims of political leaders. But ultimately, the Fed operates in the middle of the political system."It cannot be hermetically sealed," Binder said.How will Trump's policies impact interest rate cuts?Experts say it's unlikely Trump's broader economic policies would lead to faster or deeper interest rate reductions. In fact, most economists predict they'll have the opposite effect.Trump's proposals for tariffs on foreign imports are likely to cause more inflation, which could then push the Fed to raise interest rates again, according to Dean Baker, a senior economist at the Center for Economic Policy and Research.Perhaps Trump's biggest impact on rates is the sheer uncertainty he inspires, which can rattle financial markets. His freewheeling pronouncements and executive orders shake investors, who are unsure exactly which direction he might take or what legal pushback he'll receive.Trump's demands to control the Fed, regardless of whether he can follow through, just add more instability to the mix.Related articles about the Fed
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  • Trump executive order calls for a next-generation missile defense shield | The White House bills this as an "Iron Dome for America." It's a lot more than that.
    arstechnica.com
    Sleep well Trump executive order calls for a next-generation missile defense shield The White House bills this as an "Iron Dome for America." It's a lot more than that. Stephen Clark Jan 28, 2025 7:52 pm | 68 Israel's Iron Dome aerial defense system intercepts a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip on May 11, 2021. Credit: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images Israel's Iron Dome aerial defense system intercepts a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip on May 11, 2021. Credit: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreOne of the new Trump administration's first national security directives aims to defend against missile and drone attacks targeting the United States, and several elements of the plan require an expansion of the US military's presence in space, the White House announced Monday.For more than 60 years, the military has launched reconnaissance, communications, and missile warning satellites into orbit. Trump's executive order calls for the Pentagon to come up with a design architecture, requirements, and an implementation plan for the next-generation missile defense shield within 60 days.A key tenet of Trump's order is to develop and deploy space-based interceptors capable of destroying enemy missiles during their initial boost phase shortly after launch."The United States will provide for the common defense of its citizens and the nation by deploying and maintaining a next-generation missile defense shield," the order reads. "The United States will deterand defend its citizens and critical infrastructure againstany foreign aerial attack on the homeland."The White House described the missile defense shield as an "Iron Dome for America," referring to the name of Israel's regional missile defense system. While Israel's Iron Dome is tailored for short-range missiles, the White House said the US version will guard against all kinds of airborne attacks.What does the order actually say?Trump's order is prescriptive in what to do, but it leaves the implementation up to the Pentagon. The White House said the military's plan must defend against many types of aerial threats, including ballistic, hypersonic, and advanced cruise missiles, plus "other next-generation aerial attacks," a category that appears to include drones and shorter-range unguided missiles.In space, Trump's order would accelerate the deployment of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) layer, a fleet of satellites tuned to detect and track hypersonic missiles, providing warning of an attack against the United States or its allies. These missiles are smaller and more maneuverable than conventional ballistic missiles, which the US military's legacy early warning satellites can detect when they launch. Ballistic missiles are easier to track because they produce a bright exhaust plume and fly a predictable parabolic trajectory through space before reentering the atmosphere near their targets.Hypersonic missiles typically spend more time flying in Earth's atmosphere. Their maneuverability makes them difficult to track. This illustration shows how the HBTSS satellites can track hypersonic missiles as they glide and maneuver through the atmosphere, evading detection by conventional missile-tracking spacecraft, such as the Space Force's DSP and SBIRS satellites. Credit: Northrop Grumman The first two HBTSS satellites were launched last year during a demonstration mission for the Missile Defense Agency. Another network of satellites managed by the Space Force's Space Development Agencyset up during the first Trump administration to develop new space capabilities more quicklywill combine missile detection, tracking, data relay, and targeting functions. Ultimately, SDA plans to field a fleet of hundreds of satellites with global coverage, allowing the network to sense a threatening missile, plot its trajectory, and then create a targeting solution to send to the ground for the launch of an interceptor to shoot it down.The Pentagon wants this multi-layer fleet of missile-tracking satellites to handle all of these tasks autonomously in space and do it fast enough for ground forces to respond to the threat. These are things the military was already working on.What's different with Trump's directive this week is a call for the US military to place weapons in space. Putting military weapons into orbit has been a controversial subject for decades and was a point of criticism made by opponents of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) announced by former President Ronald Reagan in 1983.SDI's cost, which Reagan's opponents tallied as high as $1 trillion, was another thing that sunk the initiative in the 1990s, following the fall of the Soviet Union. Often derided as "Star Wars," SDI never achieved its lofty goals, but the Army, Navy, and the Missile Defense Agency developed land-based and ship-based interceptors capable of destroying a small number of missiles heading toward US or allied targets.That's good enough for defending against a missile attack from a rogue state or an accidental missile launch by one of the world's other nuclear powers. It's not sufficient to protect against a large-scale missile strike. The Israeli Iron Dome missile defense system (left) intercepts rockets (right) fired by the Hamas movement toward southern Israel from the northern Gaza Strip on May 14, 2021. Credit: Anas Baba/AFP via Getty Images US military officials in the Biden administration were already discussing the reality of putting weapons into space, breaking a long-held taboo on the topic. This followed a Chinese test of a Fractional Orbital Bombardment System in 2021 and reports last year that Russia was seeking to deploy a nuclear anti-satellite weapon in orbit, which Ars covered in December.In addition to placing interceptors into space, Trump's order calls for the Pentagon to shield major cities with their own local missile interceptors and develop a capability to defeat missile attacks prior to launch. The White House edict also says the military will secure the supply chain for the missile defense shield with "next-generation security and resilience features." The Pentagon will also look into "non-kinetic" systems to take out threatening missiles. These options might include lasers or directed energy.There's no estimate on how much this missile shield will cost. The order said Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the White House budget office will oversee the development of a budget for the program in time for the start of the next fiscal year, which begins October 1. Congress must weigh in on Trump's proposed budget before it becomes law.Stephen ClarkSpace ReporterStephen ClarkSpace Reporter Stephen Clark is a space reporter at Ars Technica, covering private space companies and the worlds space agencies. Stephen writes about the nexus of technology, science, policy, and business on and off the planet. 68 Comments
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  • Harvest Moon's New "Cozy" Switch Bundle Revives Two 3DS Titles This Summer
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    Image: NatsumeNatsume has announced it's releasing a "cozy bundle" for the Nintendo Switch featuring the 3DS titles Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley and Harvest Moon: Skytree Village. This two-in-one release will launch in Summer 2025, with both games included on a single cartridge.Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley originally arrived on the 3DS in 2014 and Skytree Village followed this up in 2016, with both games "optimized for the current generation console" according to the company's president and CEO Hiro Maekawa:Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube "Natsume's Cozy Bundle introduces fan favorites to modern consoles. Players are sure to feel nostalgic as they revisit towns, characters, and animals while new players now have a chance to experience titles from the past optimized for current generation consoles!"Here's a bit about each title direct from the PR with DLC also confirmed:Harvest Moon: The Lost ValleyHarvest Moon: The Lost Valley released on Nintendo 3DS in 2014. Hiking your way through the mountains one day, you become caught in an unexpected snowstorm and are able to find shelter with the help of a faint voice. When you awaken, you find and help a kindly Harvest Sprite buried under the snow, who tells you all of the seasons in the valley have vanished except for winter. To return all four seasons to the valley, you'll need the help of the villagers, the Harvest Sprites, the Harvest Goddess, and even the King of the Underworld!- Plant crops and raise animals, such as cows, chickens, and sheep!- Customize the land in a fully 3D setting dig, stack and build any way you like!- Unlock the full potential of all seven Harvest Sprites, the Harvest Goddess, and Harvest God!- Foster relationships with the locals!- Play as a boy or a girl, woo your favorite bachelor(ette), get married, and start a family!- DLC includes additional outfits, building sets, crops, and characters!Harvest Moon: Skytree VillageHarvest Moon: Skytree Village launched on Nintendo 3DS in 2016. Times have changed in the land known as the Oasis of the Harvest Goddess. Many people used to live in Skytree Village, and the land was lush and green. However, the power of the Harvest Goddess gradually began to wane, and the land became parched and dry. It's up to you to revive the seven Skytrees in order to give the Harvest Goddess her power back, and, in turn, bring life back to this desolate land!- Tons of interesting characters!- Terraform your land any way you like!- Play as a boy or a girl, woo bachelors and bachelorettes, and start a family!- New crops and flowers to discover!- New fishing mechanics: expand waterways and catch rarer fish!- A full town with many residents, each with their own personalities and quirks!- DLC includes cosmetic items and two additional characters!This game will launch worldwide digitally and physically at "all major retailers" and on the Natsume web store. Lost, but not missedGetting back to the landWould you be interested in this bundle? Let us know in the comments.Related GamesSee AlsoShare:02 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 ArticlesNintendo Expands Switch Online's SNES Library With Three More TitlesIncluding a special Super Famicom release...Opinion: My Daughter Made Me Realise That Mario Wonder's Difficulty Options Need WorkYoshi or Nabbit, make your choice69 Games You Should Pick Up In Nintendo's 'Supercharge' eShop Sale (North America)Every game we scored 9/10 or higherSega Launches Its Own Free Account Service With Unique Member RewardsSign up! Y'know, if you wantXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Metal Poster Pre-Order Bonus RevealedAvailable now in the US
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