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25 Jan 2025 — 5 min read

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Yesterday, January 24, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted 593 arrests in a single day as part of a renewed focus under the Trump administration on addressing national security threats and public safety concerns.

The arrests targeted individuals classified as criminal aliens, including those who have been convicted of crimes, are considered known threats, or have ties to activities that pose risks to public safety or national security. Sanctuary cities have seen increased ICE activity as part of this crackdown, with agents focusing their efforts on regions that were previously resistant to federal immigration enforcement.

Economics & Markets:

Geopolitics & Military Activity:

Environment & Weather:

Yesterday, January 24, 2025, São Paulo, Brazil, experienced severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall. The downpour overwhelmed the city’s drainage systems, leading to flooded streets, submerged low-lying areas, and significant water accumulation. Roads were closed, public transportation was disrupted, and emergency services were deployed to assist residents in affected areas.

The flooding caused widespread damage, displacing families and damaging homes and infrastructure. The heavy rain also increased the risk of power outages, falling trees, and other hazards across the city. Authorities are actively monitoring the situation and providing support to those impacted. This event highlights the challenges cities like São Paulo face during periods of extreme weather, exacerbated by urban development and inadequate drainage systems.

Privacy & Security:

In late 2024, a major vulnerability was discovered in Subaru’s Starlink Connected Vehicle Service, a system that allows car owners to control their vehicles remotely using cellular networks. This service, which is not related to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation despite sharing the name, enables features like locking and unlocking doors, starting the engine, and tracking a vehicle’s location. Researchers found that Subaru’s administrative portal had a flaw in its password reset process, allowing hackers to take over employee accounts without proper authentication. Once inside, hackers could bypass security safeguards and gain full access to connected vehicles and customer information.

Hackers were able to remotely start or stop engines, lock and unlock doors, and track vehicles in real time. They could also access detailed travel histories, showing where cars had been and when, and retrieve sensitive customer data, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and partial billing details. This posed serious risks of theft, stalking, or misuse of personal information. Subaru acted quickly to patch the flaw within 24 hours of being alerted. However, the incident highlights the growing risks of connected car technology and the need for automakers to secure these systems to protect customer safety and privacy.

Space:

Yesterday, January 24, 2025, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 6:07 a.m. PST. The mission deployed 23 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, expanding SpaceX’s satellite internet network and enhancing global connectivity. The rocket’s first stage landed on the droneship “Of Course I Still Love You,” stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This launch is part of SpaceX’s efforts to build a next-generation satellite constellation to provide high-speed internet access worldwide, including remote and underserved regions.

Science & Technology:

On January 23, 2025, OpenAI announced Operator, a new AI tool designed to go beyond what traditional AI search tools like ChatGPT can do. While ChatGPT and similar tools can search the web and provide detailed answers, Operator takes this further by performing tasks directly within a web browser. Instead of simply retrieving information, it can interact with websites in a human-like way, such as filling out forms, clicking buttons, and navigating pages.

This allows it to handle tasks like ordering groceries, booking appointments, or managing expenses on behalf of the user. Operator works by combining advanced reasoning capabilities with the ability to view and interact with web pages. It moves beyond information retrieval to carry out real-world tasks, aiming to save time and simplify multi-step processes. This development signals a shift in AI technology toward more practical, action-oriented applications, opening possibilities for broader use in everyday tasks.

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