The Trump administration may soon demand the social media accounts of people applying for green cards, US citizenship, and asylum or refugee status. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) the federal agency that oversees legal migration, proposed the new policy in the Federal Register this week calling this information necessary for a rigorous vetting and screening of all people applying for immigration-related benefits.In its Federal Register notice, USCIS said the proposed social media surveillance policy is needed to comply with President Trumps Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats executive order, issued on his first day in office. That order requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other government agencies to identify all resources that may be used to ensure that all aliens seeking admission to the United States, or who are already in the United States, are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible. The public has until May 5 60 days after the notices publication in the Federal Register to comment on the proposed policy. According to the Federal Register notice, USICS will begin requiring applicants for certain immigration benefits to list their social media handles on their application forms. Among those who will be affected are people applying for green cards and naturalization; asylum-seekers, refugees, and the relatives of people who have been granted asylum or refugee status. The proposed policy will affect over 3.5 million people, per USCISs own estimates.One way of looking at this is that its an attempt at basically catching up to modernity, Kathleen Bush-Joseph, an analyst at the Migration Policy Institutes US immigration program, told The Verge. Bush-Joseph, whose work partly focuses on efforts to modernize the US immigration system, said that the immigration system does not really reflect the reality of the twenty-first century in important ways. Bush-Joseph said she will be watching out for whether the new social media policy, which is framed in a way that emphasizes national security and the need for additional vetting of immigrants, is part of the Trump administrations efforts to restrict legal migration. Trump indefinitely halted refugee resettlement via executive order, and rescinded Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan and Haitian nationals. Project 2025, the Heritage Foundations playbook for a second Trump term, laid out a plan to severely curtail legal migration. But Bush-Joseph added that its too soon to tell whether USCISs proposed social media surveillance plan will be used to reject applications for green cards, citizenship, and refugee status.Immigrant advocates certainly think so. Catalyze/Citizens, a pro-immigration group, said the change would weaponize digital platforms against immigrants. This is not immigration policyit is authoritarianism and undemocratic surveillance, Beatriz Lopez, the groups executive director, said in an emailed statement. Trump is turning online spaces into surveillance traps, where immigrants are forced to watch their every move and censor their speech or risk their futures in this country. Today its immigrants, tomorrow its U.S. citizens who dissent with Trump and his administration.The proposed social media regulation goes beyond a policy the State Department implemented in 2019, which required all visa applicants to disclose five years worth of social media history. Unlike the new USCIS policy, the State Departments social media efforts apply to foreign nationals applying for visas from outside the country not to immigrants already in the US who are looking to adjust their status.Two documentary filmmakers sued the first Trump administration over the State Departments social media policy in 2019, arguing that it violated the First Amendment and hadnt proven necessary to protect national security interests. Requiring visa applicants to disclose their social media handles, the complaint claimed, facilitates the governments access to what is effectively a live database of their personal, creative, and political activities online. A federal judge dismissed the case with prejudice in 2023. The Brennan Center and the Knight First Amendment Institute which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the filmmakers appealed that ruling in early 2024, but that social media policy remains in place.See More:

Euge News"This could be it" The Last of Us Part 3 isn't something you should bet on happening, Neil Druckmann says, but he is keen to expand on Eugene"Im like, Oh, I dont know Eugene that well!"Image credit: Sony / Naughty Dog News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on March 6, 2025 If you're desperate for more Last of Us close your ears. Neil Druckmann's cast doubts on the idea of The Last of Us Part 3 becoming a thing, but if it's any consolation, he's pretty hyped up about season two of the TLOU TV show doing a bit more with a couple of Last of Us Part 2 characters which the game only mentioned.Speaking to Variety, Druckmann was asked about the possibility of a third entry in the series getting made - something that the studio having decided in 2023 to cancel the online Last of Us game it'd been making, with a view to being able to focus on "single player narrative games" would seemingly have made easier, if the studio fancied it.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Though, it doesn't sound like Druckmann's necessarily it in his sights right now. "I guess the only thing I would say is dont bet on there being more of [The] Last of Us," he said, "This could be it.Damn, we may never get to see something that may or may not feature more of the emotional moment giraffes from the first game, and/or resemble The Godfather.That said, Druckmann is hyped up about something Last of Us, that being series two of the HBO TV show, which has just revealed it'll be doing a bit more with two characters who were only mentioned in The Last of Us Part 2. Specifically, it's cast actors Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix) and Noah Lamanna (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) to play Eugene and KatThe former's a Jackson patrolman whose weed den Ellie and Dina stumble across, while the latter's dubbed Cat instead of Kat in the game, and is Ellie's ex-girlfriend who also gave her a tattoo."I get excited when I see these opportunities," Druckmann said of expanding on Eugene specifically, "Im like, Oh, I dont know Eugene that well! The story we told [in the game] was somewhat superficial. The way this character comes in really gets to the heart of Joel and Ellie and their relationship." This is almost definitely the most anyone's ever been excited about a guy called Eugene.Well, if nothing else, you can always look forward to the The Last of Us T.V show, which seemingly will get four seasons! So it's not all doom and gloom, and Eugene.

Spelinker.You know, we had a sneaky suspicion that Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom would have some legs on it. From people's ridiculous Ultrahand creations to glitches to challenge runs, it feels like players are always discovering something weird or new.Well, fans have now found a huge hole tucked underneath the Hebra Depths, and Gaming Reinvented has provided a breakdown of how to reach it.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Prepare for a pretty obvious answer.Last week, we got our first look at some actual, real Pokmon Legends: Z-A footage. People have seemed pretty split between "we're so back!" and "it's so over!" in the days since, but we can all agree that it all looked very 'Switch 1', right? Apparently, not everyone thought it was that clean-cut, and some have even started speculating that the footage we saw was actually taken from Switch 2.We were pretty shocked by mere suggestion that the footage could be from the new hardware and so, it seems, were the tech experts at Digital Foundry, who recently gave their opinions on whether the Z-A gameplay could possibly be from the upcoming system.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

In BriefPosted:6:19 AM PST March 6, 2025Image Credits:Alex Wong / Getty ImagesAnthropic submits AI policy recommendations to the White HouseA day after quietly removing Biden-era AI policy commitments from its website, Anthropic submitted recommendations to the White House for a national AI policy that the company says better prepare[s] America to capture the economic benefits of AI.The companys suggestions include preserving the AI Safety Institute established under the Biden Administration, directing NIST to develop national security evaluations for powerful AI models, and building a team within the government to analyze potential security vulnerabilities in AI.Anthropic also calls for hardened AI chip export controls, particularly restrictions on the sale of Nvidia H20 chips to China, in the interest of national security. To fuel AI data centers, Anthropic recommends the U.S. establish a national target of building 50 additional gigawatts of power dedicated to the AI industry by 2027. Several of the policy suggestions closely align with former President Bidens AI Executive Order, which Trump repealed in January. Critics allied with Trump argued that the orders reporting requirements were onerous.Topics

As AI companies race to improve the accuracy of Large Language Models and apps built on top of them, a startup that has emerged as a key partner in fulfilling that effort is announcing a significant round of funding to expand. Turing, which works with armies of engineers to contribute code to AI projects those projects include assisting in the building of LLMs for OpenAI and others, as well as Generative AI apps for enterprises has picked up a Series E of $111 million, doubling its valuation in the process to $2.2 billion.Turing makes around $167 million in ARR (annualized revenue run rate), and it is already profitable, CEO Jonathan Siddharth said in an interview with TechCrunch. The plan will be to use the funding to double down on expanding its business to more customers and to more use cases. Turing today says that it works with some 4 million coders around the world. Malaysias sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad is leading the round, with participation also from Westbridge Capital, Sozo Ventures, Uphonest Capital, AltaIR Capital, Amino Capital, Plug and Play, MVP Ventures, Fortius Ventures, Gaingels, and Mastodon Capital Management. Palo Alto-based Turing has raised $225 million to date.Turings turn as a major partner to AI companies was not how the company got its start. Originally, it was, effectively, an HR tech startup. Specifically its early product was a platform for vetting and hiring remote-work coders, a business that started to take off during the Covid-19 pandemic with the worlds growing appetite for better tools to source and work with remote teams. That business was strong enough to catapult the company to unicorn status.It was also strong enough to start catching a different kind of attention.As this story from Semafor last year recounts, Siddharth was summoned in 2022 to OpenAI for a meeting, which he thought would be to talk about recruiting engineers for the startup. Instead, it turned out to be a proposition. OpenAI researchers had discovered that code added into training datasets helped improve the models reasoning capabilities, and it wanted Turings help to generate that code.Siddharth obliged and that set off a whole new business focus for the startup, which he says now works with a number of foundational AI companies to provide similar services, as well as with companies that build apps on top of those LLMs.We could not have predicted the ChatGPT moment, he said this week, and he couldnt have predicted how the infrastructure he built for hiring coders would place Turing itself into the middle of the action. I dont think people knew how important software engineering tokens [would be] to teach an LLM to think and reason and code.But it hasnt been a pivot. Siddharth was quick to correct me when I used the word, and he pointed out that Turing still generates substantial revenue from its older business sourcing coding talent, although he would not disclose how much.They are all growing, he said of the different business lines. We are stepping on the gas to scale up R&D, and scale up sales and marketing across all three businesses. We are in rapid expansion mode.However, the main focus in terms of new business, it seems, will be to continue doubling down on its work in AI as a coding provider for the building of future LLMs a division Turing optimistically calls Turing AGI Advancement and in its work on apps and services built on those LLMs under the banner of Turing Intelligence.

Breakdown & ShowreelsThe Gorge: VFX Breakdown by FramestoreBy Vincent Frei - 06/03/2025 With over 516 shots, the VFX team at Framestore transformed The Gorge into a chilling landscape. They crafted terrifying creatures and expansive, fog-covered environments that set the perfect stage for the films gripping action scenes!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Framestore: Dedicated page about The Gorge on Framestore website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Songmont Space | Jin WeiqiLocated within a cultural and creative park in Cuigezhuang Town, Chaoyang District, Beijing, Songmont Space by ARCHSTUDIO is an architectural experiment in reinterpreting traditional spatial relationships. Designed for Songmont, a brand known for its emphasis on aesthetics and function, the space extends beyond the role of a commercial showroom to become a dynamic environment for exhibitions, receptions, meetings, and product launches. ARCHSTUDIOs intervention seeks to transform an existing industrial structure into a layered, experiential space that challenges conventional perceptions of interior and exterior boundaries.Songmont Space Technical InformationArchitects1-5: ARCHSTUDIOLocation: Cuigezhuang Town, Chaoyang District, Beijing, ChinaArea: 695 m2 | 7,480 Sq. Ft.Construction Year: 2024Photographs: Jin WeiqiARCHSTUDIO conceived the design with a concept of Frame Courtyard, breaking the boundaries of traditional space through a series of thoughtfully designed frames.Songmont Space Photographs Jin Weiqi Jin Weiqi Jin Weiqi Jin Weiqi Jin Weiqi Jin Weiqi Jin Weiqi Jin Weiqi Jin Weiqi Jin WeiqiConceptual Framework: The Frame Courtyard StrategyARCHSTUDIOs design is anchored in the Frame Courtyard concept, a strategic response to the historical courtyard typology and the functional needs of a contemporary retail-exhibition hybrid space. The project reinterprets the void as an active architectural element, where a series of meticulously proportioned frames break conventional spatial hierarchies and redefine the users engagement with the environment.These frames serve multiple functions:Structuring views: By layering thresholds, the design curates visual perspectives, drawing attention to curated objects and framing interactions between visitors and exhibits.Modulating daylight and ventilation: The strategic placement of frames allows for natural illumination, while carefully integrated operable elements support passive ventilation strategies.Blurring spatial thresholds: The interplay between framed portals and semi-open enclosures creates a spatial continuity that challenges the rigid dichotomy of inside versus outside.This approach draws from Eastern spatial philosophies, where perception is carefully choreographed through framed views, reminiscent of traditional Japanese engawa spaces or Chinese garden pavilions. However, ARCHSTUDIOs execution is distinctly contemporary, leveraging minimal material articulation to heighten the focus on void, perspective, and transition.Songmont Space Material StrategyThe project site was originally a single-story industrial factory with a steel truss structure, reflecting the utilitarian nature of its past. Rather than erasing its industrial identity, ARCHSTUDIO integrates new spatial interventions that respect and augment the existing framework:New insulated walls improve thermal performance while serving as an aesthetic device to create clean, continuous planes.Hidden rainwater gutters refine the roofline, eliminating visual clutter and reinforcing the projects commitment to architectural clarity.Ceiling modifications introduce funnel-shaped skylights, filtering daylight into the space and elevating the atmospheric quality.Material choices further accentuate the spatial experience by balancing raw industrial textures with refined contemporary finishes:Black microcement flooring introduces a subtly reflective surface that resonates with the water feature in the courtyard, forging an abstract connection between earth and sky.Beige stone accents on walls, countertops, and railings introduce a tactile warmth, reinforcing the projects emphasis on sensory engagement.Timber and metal details in select framing elements contrast against the muted material palette, emphasizing the rhythm of structural articulation.These material choices heighten the projects phenomenological presence, where light, texture, and proportion converge to create an architecture that is both rigorous and evocative.Framing Perception and ExperienceThe act of framing in architecture has long been associated with both functional delineation and conceptual exploration. From the portals of classical antiquity to Le Corbusiers architectural promenade, framing serves as a device for structuring movement, defining spatial relationships, and emphasizing moments of stillness.In Songmont Space, ARCHSTUDIO leverages framing not just as an organizational tool, but as a medium for spatial storytelling:The entry sequence initiates a gradual space unfolding, where visitors are guided through nested layers of visual fields.The courtyards reflective water feature captures and distorts framed perspectives, offering an ever-changing dialogue between solid and void, sky and ground.Operable louvered panels around meeting rooms and display areas provide an adaptive framing mechanism, adjusting visibility and privacy based on programmatic needs.Songmont Space is within a growing typology of hybrid spatial environments, where the boundaries between retail, exhibition, and hospitality dissolve into a singular, cohesive experience. This reflects a broader architectural shifta move away from static, monolithic programs toward flexible, adaptive spatial models.By employing framing as an aesthetic and functional strategy, ARCHSTUDIO ensures that Songmont Space operates beyond commercial imperatives, instead engaging with spatial perception and architectural interaction discourse.Songmont Space PlansSection | ARCHSTUDIOFloor Plan | ARCHSTUDIO ARCHSTUDIOSongmont Space Image GalleryAbout ARCHSTUDIOARCHSTUDIO is a Beijing-based architectural firm founded by Han Wenqiang. It is known for its innovative approach to spatial design, whichmerges contemporary minimalism with traditional Chinese architectural principles. The studio emphasizes adaptive reuse, material sensitivity, and spatial fluidity, often integrating natural elements to create immersive environments that redefine the relationship between architecture and its surroundings.Credits and Additional NotesChief Designers: Han Wenqiang, Li XiaomingDesigner: Wang TonghuiStructural Consulting: Zhu ChanganMEP Consulting: Zheng Baowei, Li Dongjie, Li ZhongjuanConstruction Firm: Beijing Jingyu Decoration Co., Ltd.

A Nude AffairIn New York, Rafael de Crdenas sculpts a tonal, monochrome store for SKIMSByKelly Pau March 6, 2025East, Interiors (William Abranowicz)SHAREKim Kardashians lingerie and clothing brand SKIMS landed in New York with its first flagship on 5th Avenue, and like SKIMSs skin-tight style, the store design by New Yorkbased practiceRafael de Crdenasaccentuates the body. Rounded soffits and walls mimic the contours of SKIMSs bodycon styles. Custom mannequins and a feminine and figural 15-foot sculpture by Vanessa Beecroft puts the anatomy quite literally on display. The stores own cladding, a monochrome pinky, beige nude, recalls supple soft skinor SKIMS rather. Many nude shades were considered during the design process. Our client had a strong vision about a tonal approach and this particular color was painstakingly examined, the practices titular founder, Rafael de Crdenas, toldAN Interior.Its a very pale beige paint that is on the cool side and called Edgecomb Gray. A lighter, more neutral color established a more versatile backdrop for the ever expanding product offering and countless collaborations. The color completely clads the stores 3 stories and 6,570 square feet as it allows the products, showcased on Corian displays, to take center stage.Read more on aninteriormag.com. Retail

The William Hunt Double House,located at 10-12 Lynde Street in Salem, is a 2 story wood-frame Italianate building that showcases the emerging presence of the Victorian style on residential buildings in the mid-19thcentury, even in cities with strong support for Colonial and Federal period styles. The two-family house was built byWilliam Hunt, a prominent Salem merchant, as a rental property with occupants of the building in 1859 including:John W. Lefavour, a cashier, and Benjamin F. Faber, a merchant. The property remained in the Hunt Family for three generations, and was converted to a boarding house in the 1930s. InNovember 2018, a fire gutted much of the building, displacing the residents, and concerned neighbors as to the future of this great property. Luckily for us, the owners hiredSeger Architects, Epsilon Associates and Groom Construction to fully restore the building to its former glory. The resulting project won aSalem Preservation Awardand received Federal and State Tax Credits to offset restoration costs. What a great success story!