[syndicated profile] mashablexml_feed
Hands holding up Amazon boxes

Amazon’s biggest shopping event of the year is in full swing, and yes, Prime Day is still going on now. For the first time ever, Amazon has stretched the event to a full four days, giving shoppers even more time to score epic savings across tech, home, beauty, fashion, and more. So, if you've been concerned that you missed out, that's not the case.

Prime Day 2025 officially kicked off on Tuesday, July 8, and will run through Friday, July 11. That means you still have time to shop — but the clock is ticking. Some of the most popular deals are already selling out or fluctuating in price, so it’s worth grabbing what you want before the final day arrives.

If you're wondering when does Prime Day end or how long Prime Day is going on, the short answer is: not much longer. Once midnight PT rolls around on July 11, the main event wraps — and with it, many of the best deals of the summer.

Need help finding where to start? We've rounded up early standouts and can guide you to the biggest markdowns worth your attention. And if you want to stay ahead of the curve, head over to our full Prime Day hub for expert picks, real-time updates, and more can't-miss savings.

What time does Prime Day end?

Amazon Prime Day officially ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on Friday, July 11. If you're on the East Coast, that means the sale wraps up around 3 a.m. on Saturday, July 12.

How long do I still have to shop Prime Day?

Depending on when you're reading this, you have at least a full 24 hours left to shop all the juicy deals. That said, just like some deals dropped ahead of the event, a handful of discounts may stick around after the deadline — but the biggest bargains will likely disappear when the clock runs out. So if you have your eye on something, be sure to snap it up while you can.

Best Prime Day deals you can shop now

Think you missed the best of Prime Day? You're still good to browse and scoop up all the biggest discounts. The sale is still going strong, and some of the best sales are still live right now. From trending tech to home upgrades and more, there’s still plenty of time to score major savings before the event wraps up. Find some of our favorite picks below.

Best Black Friday Apple deal

Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the M3 Apple MacBook Air.

"Our reviewer was impressed by the M3 Air's peppy performance, satisfying keyboard, vivid webcam, and dual-display support (if you close its lid), rating it a 4.3/5. It may not look all that different from its older M-series predecessors — there is a new midnight finish option — but we think it's the best MacBook for most people, especially now that Apple's bumped its base RAM from 8GB to 16GB.

The starting configuration with 256GB of storage is on sale on Amazon for only $844, which is 23% off its $1,099 MSRP, an all-time low, and $5 better than Best Buy's Black Friday deal on the exact same MacBook. This also puts less than $100 between it and the M2 Air, so opting for the current-gen model over the cheapest model out there feels like an easier, more obvious choice." — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter

Best Black Friday laptop deal

Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.

"Microsoft's slick Qualcomm-powered laptop lasted nearly 23 hours in our battery life test and one-upped the M3 MacBooks in our performance benchmark (both the Air and the Pro models). If Windows on Arm doesn't pose any compatibility issues for your go-to apps, we think it's the best Windows laptop for most people. It's a Mashable Choice Award-winner that got a 4.8/5 rating from our reviewer, which makes it one of our highest-rated laptops of 2024. (The Asus Zenbook Duo got the same score.)

The 13-inch model we tested came with a Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. It usually retails for a hefty $1,999.99, but Amazon's Black Friday Week sale has brought it down to just $1,499 there. That's 25% off and a new all-time low. It was price-matched in the Microsoft Store at the time of writing, FYI, while Best Buy had it listed for $1,699.99.

If you don't want to spend that much, pared-down configurations start at $844.99." — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter

Best Black Friday headphones deal

Sony WH-1000XM5
$298 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $101.99

Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Sony WH-1000XM5.

"If you want headphones that have great noise cancellation and incredible (adjustable) sound, then the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones won't let you down. Out of the noise-cancelling headphones we've tested, these are our top pick for audiophiles. It can be a little annoying that the ear cups don't fold in, but with 30 hours of battery life, you'll probably find yourself wearing them more often than not. Dropped down to $297, these headphones are at a dollar cheaper than their Prime Day price." — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter

[syndicated profile] mashablexml_feed
LICIACube taking photos of DART's impact on Dimorphos

When NASA smacked an asteroid with a spacecraft the size of a vending machine in 2022, the mission was rather quickly declared a victory

DART, short for Double Asteroid Redirection Test, sought to prove whether humans could one day nudge a killer space rock off course. The crash did, in fact, shift the harmless moonlet Dimorphos' orbit by 33 minutes. But new research led by the University of Maryland suggests the results of that target practice are way less clear-cut than anyone imagined.

Dimorphos didn't just wobble — it recoiled, spun slightly off its axis, and shifted its tilt after the choreographed crash, according to the study, flinging boulders in surprising directions. Some of those rocks were as big as pickup trucks, moving at speeds up to 116 mph, with more than three times the momentum of the spacecraft that hit it.

The chaotic outcome could be a problem if earthlings ever need to use this method for real to save the planet. Tony Farnham, lead author of the paper published in The Planetary Science Journal, said scientists will need to consider these complicated physics when planning potential asteroid deflection missions in the future.

"We succeeded in… moving it from its orbit," Farnham said in a statement. But "while the direct impact of the DART spacecraft caused this change, the boulders ejected gave an additional kick that was almost as big."

NASA broadcast the $330 million space collision on Sept. 26, 2022. Through a camera on the uncrewed spacecraft, the public was able to watch a 525-foot rock grow from a mere dot of light to a bumpy egg-shaped mass that blotted out the whole frame. The live feed almost kept up with the crash in real time, with only a 45-second delay, providing a front-row seat to an event happening 6.8 million miles away.

Millions of space rocks orbit the sun. The majority are in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, but occasionally rocks get shoved into the inner solar system, relatively closer to Earth.

There are currently no known asteroids on an impact course with the planet. Still, scientists are keeping a watchful eye on nearly 40,000 large objects out there with the hope of avoiding the fate of the dinosaurs. Astronomers believe there could be thousands more awaiting discovery.

Even smaller rocks can cause immense destruction. An undetected meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, in February 2013, causing an airburst and shockwave that affected six cities and injured 1,600 people. The rock was just 60 feet across, according to NASA.

Viewing Dimorphos for the last time before DART impact
The DART spacecraft takes its final full picture of Dimorphos, an asteroid moonlet of Didymos, as it approaches at 14,000 mph. Credit: NASA / Johns Hopkins APL

Using images taken by LICIACube, a toaster-size spacecraft supplied by the Italian Space Agency, Farnham's team created a 3D map of the collision's aftermath and tracked 104 boulders that blasted away from Dimorphos. This little spacecraft showed up on the scene just three minutes after the hit. 

The data reveal that a massive amount of the force that moved the asteroid didn't come from the DART spacecraft but how the rocks and dust scattered. A cluster of large boulders ejected almost perpendicular to the direction of the impact. Essentially, that means the asteroid's surface blew sideways — something no one anticipated. 

Curiously, rocks gathered into two distinct groups, with little debris elsewhere. The larger of the two swarms was tossed south at high speed. The team thinks perhaps those boulders came from contact with DART's solar panels right before the main body hit the surface. 

"Something unknown is at work here," Farnham said. 

Hubble takes images of Dimorphos after DART mission
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope spotted dozens of boulders drifting from asteroid Dimorphos — space shrapnel flung loose after the agency's DART mission intentionally crashed a spacecraft into it. Credit: NASA / ESA / David Jewitt / Alyssa Pagan

Until now, most of the focus has been on the dust cone that exploded in the direction opposite to DART's approach, but that number only tells part of the story. The new findings suggest the sideways momentum from the boulder plume could be several times that number.

Knowing exactly how an impact unfolds — where energy goes, how debris moves, and what parts of an asteroid respond — will inform how NASA aims in the future. Hit too hard or in the wrong spot, and you might not nudge a rock but spin it, split it, or make things worse.

NASA and the European Space Agency's Hera mission, scheduled to arrive at the scene next year, will see what Dimorphos is up to now. If it's tumbling or orbiting its parent asteroid in an off-kilter way, that'll be a clear sign these boulders made a bigger mess than scientists realized — and provide a valuable lesson. All of these subtleties are crucial to understand in the event of an emergency, said Jessica Sunshine, a coauthor. 

"You can think of it as a cosmic pool game," she said in a statement. "We might miss the pocket if we don't consider all the variables."

[syndicated profile] mashablexml_feed
[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<img [...] much."">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://mashable.com/article/too-much-andrew-scott-sex-scene">https://mashable.com/article/too-much-andrew-scott-sex-scene</a></p><img src="https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/07Iwl9Y6LdHERx3g5E7ULp1/hero-image.png" alt="Andrew Scott in " too="Too" much.""="Much.&quot;&quot;"><p>In her <a href="https://mashable.com/article/too-much-review-lena-dunham-megan-stalter-netflix" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">new Netflix series <em>Too Much</em></a>, Lena Dunham does the impossible. She manages to make internet boyfriend Andrew Scott &mdash; yes, <em>the</em> <a href="https://mashable.com/video/andrew-scott-hot-priest" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">Hot Priest himself</a> &mdash; utterly unattractive.</p><p>Scott plays Jim, a film director who's shooting a big Christmas commercial that <em>Too Much</em>'s lead Jessica (Megan Stalter) is supervising. Right off the bat, Dunham and Scott cement Jim as the epitome of arrogance and rudeness. He swans up to a location scouting trip 45 minutes late, he calls shotgun to sit "separately from all the people," and he forcibly removes a pair of bunny ears from Jessica's head, which she'd gotten from a kids' charity. Already not off to a great start, Jim!</p><div class="flex mx-auto mt-8 w-full max-w-3xl font-sans text-lg leading-normal md:text-xl md:leading-7"> <span class="font-bold text-primary-400">SEE ALSO:</span> <a href="https://mashable.com/article/too-much-review-lena-dunham-megan-stalter-netflix" class="flex items-center text-secondary-300"> <span class="ml-1">'Too Much' review: Lena Dunham gifts us TV's newest disaster couple</span> <svg class="ml-1 w-4 h-4 font-normal fill-current"><use href="https://mashable.com/images/icons/spritemap.svg#sprite-arrow-right-thin"></use></svg> </a> </div> <p>Things go from bad to worse over a dinner with Jessica, in which Jim fights with Letterboxd reviewers' criticisms of his "undercooked" female characters, then proceeds to rag on his ex-wife Anita.</p><p>"She always says that anger isn't a reason enough to make films, you know?" Jim says. "But she's never made anything, except our children, so what the fuck does she know?"</p><p>These early scenes cement Jim as egotistical as can be, a far cry from some of the more sensitive, understanding roles that won Scott the internet's affection, like <em>Fleabag</em>'s Hot Priest. But Jim's also missing the edge and alluring villainy of other major Scott roles, like Tom Ripley in <a href="https://mashable.com/article/ripley-review-andrew-scott-netflix" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>Ripley</em></a>, or Moriarty in <em>Sherlock</em>. </p><p>Even in Scott and Dunham's prior collaboration, <a href="https://mashable.com/article/catherine-called-birdy-review" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>Catherine Called Birdy</em></a>, the pair managed to craft a medieval lord character who's bawdy and a tad goofy, but still cares deeply for his daughter Catherine (Bella Ramsey). Here, though, Dunham and Scott cleverly play with audience expectations of Scott as an onscreen heartthrob, turning the much-crushed-on actor into an ego machine we love to hate.</p><p>That ego all comes to a head when Jim and Jessica hook up after dinner, where Jim's idea of dirty talk is all focused on him. First, he rambles on and on about how he can just deny Jessica pleasure. (She's unimpressed.) Then, he asks her to tell him to "direct me," to validate his portrayal of women, and to say how much she loves his movies.</p><p>"They're awesome, I stream all your movies," Jessica says.</p><p>"You stream them? Are they available on streaming?" Jim asks. "Do they make you stream?"</p><p>If you hadn't already gotten the ick from all of Jim's other red flags, his wordplay around <em>streaming, </em>of all things, must surely put you off, right? <em>Right?</em></p><p>The entire scene calls to mind the myriad awkward sex scenes from Dunham's <em>Girls</em>, from Adam's (Adam Driver) unsettling dirty talk to Booth Jonathan (Jorma Taccone) locking Marnie (Allison Williams) in an art installation as foreplay. Her response? "You're so fucking talented." Hey, that's exactly what Jim wants to hear!</p><p>Luckily, Jessica is not Marnie, and her response to Jim's self-indulgence is one of bemusement, even as she tries her best to play into it. She draws the line at being mistaken for Jim's ex &mdash; better late than never! &mdash; but that lapsed hookup isn't the last we see of Jim.</p><p>In the show's penultimate episode, Jim returns for one last cringe-worthy scene, where he makes awkward and uninvited advances on a production assistant, then starts mimicking Jessica like a preschooler. It's a damning conclusion to the Jim saga, one that proves that any perceived slight of ego can render someone completely pathetic. Not even Hot Priests are immune!</p><p><a href="https://zdcs.link/QWYDRK?pageview_type=RSS&amp;template=article&amp;module=content_body&amp;element=offer&amp;item=text-link&amp;element_label=Too%20Much%20is%20now%20streaming%20on%20Netflix.&amp;object_type=article&amp;object_uuid=07Iwl9Y6LdHERx3g5E7ULp1&amp;short_url=QWYDRK&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2Ffeeds%2Frss%2Fall" rel="sponsored" title="(opens in a new window)" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>Too Much </em>is now streaming on Netflix.</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://mashable.com/article/too-much-andrew-scott-sex-scene">https://mashable.com/article/too-much-andrew-scott-sex-scene</a></p>
[syndicated profile] mashablexml_feed
FastestVPN PRO: Lifetime Subscription (15 Devices)

TL;DR: Lock in lifetime protection for up to 15 devices with FastestVPN PRO — just $29.97 (reg. $600) through July 15.


If your summer plans include public Wi-Fi, working remotely, or streaming from abroad, you’re going to want a VPN you can trust — and FastestVPN PRO lives up to its name. For a limited time, you can score a lifetime subscription for just $29.97, covering up to 15 devices, including laptops, phones, Smart TVs, and routers. It’s a pretty easy way to give yourself some added protection.

Whether you’re a freelancer working out of cafés across the country or just want to stream Disney+ while abroad, FastestVPN PRO has you covered with WireGuard protocol for fast connections, 900+ global servers, and dedicated access to platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. It even comes with P2P-optimized servers and split tunneling, so you can customize which apps route through the VPN.

And it’s not just about access — it’s also very much about security. With AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, double VPN, anti-malware, ad blocking, and a no-logs policy, your privacy is fully protected. Bonus: You’ll also get a free 1-year password manager to keep your digital life tidy and locked down.

This offer is ideal for anyone who works, travels, or just wants peace of mind online — especially small business owners, remote workers, digital nomads, and security-conscious families. If you’re looking for one VPN that does it all (without ongoing subscription fees), this is it.

Get a lifetime of FastestVPN PRO and secure your digital life on up to 15 devices for just $29.97 (reg. $600) through July 15.

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

[syndicated profile] mashablexml_feed
[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<img [...] face."">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://mashable.com/article/poker-face-season-3">https://mashable.com/article/poker-face-season-3</a></p><img src="https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/01Yw0KqoZjmkAXN4qMy5i2l/hero-image.jpg" alt="Natasha Lyonne and Patti Harrison in " poker="Poker" face.""="Face.&quot;&quot;"><p><a href="https://mashable.com/article/poker-face-season-2-review" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>Poker Face</em>'s Season 2</a> finale may be called "The End of the Road," but it's clear that <a href="https://mashable.com/video/poker-face-season-2-rian-johnson-interview-stephen-sondheim" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body">creator Rian Johnson</a> and showrunner Tony Tost have a lot more in store for human lie detector Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne). </p><p>By the close of Season 2, Charlie has lost her beloved Plymouth Barracuda and discovered a nemesis in the world-feared assassin the Iguana, who's been posing as Charlie's sidekick and confidante Alex (Patti Harrison) for the last several episodes. The Iguana is able to hide any physical tells, so she can do the impossible and lie to Charlie. As she puts it, she's the Moriarty to Charlie's Sherlock.</p><div class="flex mx-auto mt-8 w-full max-w-3xl font-sans text-lg leading-normal md:text-xl md:leading-7"> <span class="font-bold text-primary-400">SEE ALSO:</span> <a href="https://mashable.com/video/poker-face-season-2-rian-johnson-interview-stephen-sondheim" class="flex items-center text-secondary-300"> <span class="ml-1">Rian Johnson breaks down 'Poker Face' Season 2's killer Stephen Sondheim references</span> <svg class="ml-1 w-4 h-4 font-normal fill-current"><use href="https://mashable.com/images/icons/spritemap.svg#sprite-arrow-right-thin"></use></svg> </a> </div> <p>Charlie's unknowing involvement with the Iguana means she's officially wanted by the FBI, especially since she led the assassin directly to the safe house where Beatrix Hasp (Rhea Perlman) was hiding out. Now that Charlie's back on the run, this time with a mysterious enemy somewhere on the loose, that opens up the door for more places for her to lay low &mdash; and more places for her to solve crimes, of course. Will <em>Poker Face </em>get to explore these new cases in Season 3?</p><h2>Is there going to be a <em>Poker Face </em>Season 3?</h2><p>As of yet, Peacock has not yet announced whether <em>Poker Face </em>will have a Season 3. However, due to the overwhelmingly positive critical response to Season 2, as well as the series charting in Peacock's Top 10 TV Shows list, I'm hopeful we'll see more of Charlie (and more A-list guest stars) in the future.</p><h2>When is <em>Poker Face </em>Season 3 coming out?</h2><p>If we are blessed with a third season of <em>Poker Face</em>, when could we expect it? There's no telling for certain currently, but we can make an educated guess based on the wait time between Seasons 1 and 2. </p><p>Season 1 premiered Jan. 26, 2023, with Season 2 premiering May 8, 2025, meaning there were well over two years between seasons. That's become the norm for many big-name streaming shows, like <em>House of the Dragon </em>and <em>Bridgerton</em>. However, the <em>Poker Face </em>wait was also impacted by the 2023 WGA and SAG strikes, which halted TV and film production. Without any strikes, turnaround time on a potential <em>Poker Face </em>Season 3 could be faster, and we could be back on the road with Charlie sooner than we think.</p><p><a href="https://zdcs.link/QGGb18?pageview_type=RSS&amp;template=article&amp;module=content_body&amp;element=offer&amp;item=text-link&amp;element_label=Poker%20Face%20is%20now%20streaming%20on%20Peacock.&amp;object_type=article&amp;object_uuid=01Yw0KqoZjmkAXN4qMy5i2l&amp;short_url=QGGb18&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2Ffeeds%2Frss%2Fall" rel="sponsored" title="(opens in a new window)" target="_blank" data-ga-click="1" data-ga-label="$text" data-ga-item="text-link" data-ga-module="content_body"><em>Poker Face </em>is now streaming on Peacock.</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://mashable.com/article/poker-face-season-3">https://mashable.com/article/poker-face-season-3</a></p>
[syndicated profile] mashablexml_feed
Microsoft Visio 2021 Professional: Lifetime License for Windows

TL;DR: Get a Microsoft Visio 2021 Professional Lifetime License for Windows for just $9.97 (reg. $249.99) through July 20 and turn complicated ideas into clear, visual diagrams.


Making a presentation? Whether you’re pitching a new idea or explaining a process, a clear visual can make all the difference. You don’t need to be a designer to build something that grabs attention and gets your point across. Microsoft Visio makes it easy to create professional diagrams, flowcharts, and visuals that help your audience follow along.

Normally $249.99, a Visio lifetime license is now on sale for $9.97.

Help your data pop

For less than the price of a pizza, you can step up your presentations and stand out in front of colleagues and bosses. Microsoft Visio offers dozens of pre-made templates, diagrams, and stencils to help you articulate your points effectively.

There are over 250,000 shapes available in their online content ecosystem, ready to make your ideas memorable and dynamic.

If you’re looking to save some time, you can automatically generate org charts, process maps, floor plans, and more via data from Excel, Exchange, or Microsoft Entra ID. Or, if you’re stumped on something, you can utilize Visio’s brainstorming templates to help you work out ideas in real time. 

Hoping to flex your creative muscles? Visio also lets you draw your own creations, using your finger or a pen to draw directly on touch-enabled devices. This also works great if you’re looking to annotate existing diagrams. 

This offer for a Microsoft Visio Professional 2021 license is only available to new users and includes all of the features from Visio Standard, plus more templates, shapes, and collaboration features.  It requires a Microsoft 365 subscription or a Microsoft SharePoint subscription to get going. 

Create stunning visuals with Microsoft Visio 2021 Professional for Windows, now available for just $9.97 (regularly $249.99) through July 20.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

[syndicated profile] mashablexml_feed
AdGuard VPN: 5-Yr Subscription

TL;DR: Get five years of private, secure internet access with AdGuard VPN for just $34.97 (reg. $359.40) through July 15.


If you’re looking to lock in long-term online privacy without locking into monthly payments, this five-year subscription to AdGuard VPN is the move. For just $34.97, you’ll get half a decade of premium VPN service from one of the most trusted names in digital security — and you won’t have to think about renewing until 2030.

AdGuard VPN stands out by using its own advanced encryption protocol, offering both speed and security in one sleek package. With access to 70+ global locations, you can browse, stream, and download without content restrictions, whether you’re hopping between NYC coffee shops or traveling abroad.

And yes, it’s actually private. Unlike some VPNs that claim privacy but collect data in the background, AdGuard sticks to a strict zero-logging policy — meaning your data stays only your data. You can connect up to 10 devices at once, so your laptop, phone, tablet, and even your smart TV are covered under one account.

This deal is ideal for freelancers, travelers, remote workers, or anyone who spends serious time online. And since AdGuard is built by the same privacy-first minds behind the AdGuard ad blocker, you know it’s engineered with real user security in mind.

No subscriptions or surprise renewals. Just fast, private, and reliable internet access for five full years.

Pick up a five-year subscription to AdGuard VPN for the one-time payment of just $34.97 (reg. $359.40) through July 15.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

[syndicated profile] mashablexml_feed
Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages)

TL;DR: You can get lifetime access to all 14 Babbel languages for just $159 (reg. $599) through July 24 with code LEARN, exclusively from StackSocial.


If you had all the time in the world, what language would you learn? This isn’t a rhetorical question. With a lifetime subscription to Babbel, you can take your time learning any of 14 different languages, and it’s only $159 (reg. $599) during this limited-time sale via StackSocial using code LEARN. 

Learn 14 different languages

The beauty of a lifetime subscription is that it never expires, meaning you can study Spanish for your next trip, brush up on German for business, or finally learn Italian to impress your friends, all at your own pace. With Babbel’s structured lessons, you’ll find that learning new languages can be a continuous journey of personal growth and intellectual stimulation.

Babbel’s all-language subscription opens the door to meaningful conversations with people from different cultures. Whether navigating a street market in Morocco, negotiating a deal in China, or simply making new friends abroad, your language skills will always be an asset.

Language proficiency isn’t just for travel. Knowing multiple languages can give you a serious edge in your career, unlocking global business opportunities and strengthening relationships with international clients.

Babbel uses cutting-edge technology to make language learning both efficient and fun. With features like speech recognition and adaptive learning, the lessons adjust to your progress, ensuring you improve every step of the way. And because Babbel is built for busy professionals and lifelong learners alike, it fits perfectly into any schedule, allowing you to learn anytime, anywhere.

Through July 24, new Babbel users in the U.S. can score lifetime access for just $159 via StackSocial’s exclusive code LEARN at checkout.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

[syndicated profile] vox_feed

Posted by Nicole Narea

Truck with the sign ICE out of LA
Several dozen protesters stage a demonstration on the Sixth Street Bridge between downtown Los Angeles and Boyle Heights protesting ICE deportation operations on July 1, 2025. | Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Republicans just gave US Immigration and Customs Enforcement a huge cash infusion, and President Donald Trump knows how he wants the agency to use it. 

During his first six months in office, the Trump administration was already using immigration enforcement to punish its political enemies and to advance a white-centric image of America. The Republican spending bill that Trump signed last week allocated $75 billion in additional funding to ICE over the next four years, allowing it to implement those tactics on an even grander scale.

That’s despite growing public opposition to Trump’s immigration policies and recent mass protests against workplace immigration raids in Los Angeles. 

There is a question of how quickly ICE can build up its infrastructure and personnel using its newfound resources. But just days after the bill passed, the administration made a show of force at Los Angeles’s MacArthur Park on Monday, with heavily armed immigration agents in tactical gear and military-style trucks showing up to arrest undocumented immigrants.

That may only be the beginning. ICE may not yet be able to deport 1 million undocumented immigrants in a single year — the goal that the Trump administration has privately set. 

However, the agency is already infringing on civil liberties under this administration in ways that should worry not just immigrants, but every American, said Shayna Kessler, director of the Advancing Universal Representation Initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice, a criminal justice reform advocacy group. 

“The tactics of this administration are sweeping and indiscriminate,” Kessler said. “The administration is continuing to widen the circle of people that they’re subjecting to criminalization, to detention, and to deportation. It’s happening in a way that is undermining due process and our fundamental values.”

What’s in the bill and what it means for America

The bill allocates $45 billion for immigration detention and $29.9 billion for enforcement and deportation activities. It represents the largest lump sum investment in immigration enforcement on US soil since 2003, when the Department of Homeland Security was created following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 

With that money — a 308 percent annual increase over its 2024 budget — ICE will be able to increase its immigration detention capacity from 41,500 to 116,000 detainee beds.

So far, those beds have not been reserved only for those with a criminal background, despite Trump’s vow that he would focus on deporting the “worst of the worst.” As of June, about half of people in ICE detention had no criminal record, and only about a third had been convicted of a crime.

Under the current administration, there have already been reports of inhumane conditions at various immigration detention centers. In Florida, which has cooperated closely with federal immigration agents, detainees at Krome Detention Center in Miami recently gathered outside the prison to make a human SOS sign after they endured sleeping on the floor, being underfed, and not getting necessary medical attention.

The bill aims to incentivize state and local governments to follow Florida’s lead and collaborate with federal immigration authorities on detention, offering them $3.5 billion total in federal grants as a reward. Even some states and cities that previously adopted “sanctuary” policies — refusing to cooperate with ICE to detain immigrants — might not want to leave that money on the table, said Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum, an immigrant advocacy group. 

That’s despite research showing that sanctuary policies make immigrants more likely to report crimes and are associated with decreases in crime rates.

The bill also grants ICE essentially a blank check for funding enforcement and deportation activities. Where the House version of the bill allocated specific amounts for particular enforcement purposes, such as transportation or removal operations, the version of the bill passed by the Senate and signed by the president does not specify any such guardrails. 

Trump has so far failed to come close to achieving what he promised would be “the largest deportation program in American history.” As Trump’s deportation numbers have lagged behind the modern record set by former President Barack Obama, he has resorted to deporting some of the easiest targets: people who show up to their obligatory check-ins with ICE officers after being released from immigration detention under a program for individuals deemed not to be a public safety threat. 

“Regardless of their background, regardless of whether they’re parents, regardless of whether they are working long-term jobs and supporting their community, they’re being swept up and facing inhumane detention and the prospect of permanent family separation and permanent separation from their communities and their jobs,” Kessler said. 

The obstacles Trump still faces

Nevertheless, even with these extra funds, it’s not clear if Trump’s vision for deporting millions of undocumented immigrants will become a reality. 

For one, it takes time to hire new immigration agents, sign cooperation agreements with local law enforcement agencies that facilitate the detention of immigrants, build new detention facilities, conduct immigration court proceedings, and charter deportation flights. There are countries that refuse to take their citizens back as deportees, although the administration is reportedly in talks with other countries to accept them instead.

Resistance from business owners who rely on immigrant workers also appears to have given Trump hesitation. He has repeatedly promised in the weeks since the LA raids to shield farmworkers and hospitality workers from deportation, especially now that his administration has stripped 3 million people of deportation protections such as parole and Temporary Protected Status.

“While this infusion of resources absolutely will help them get much more volume, I do think that we continue to see the administration and Trump himself realizing that it can’t be carte blanche, and that they need to make sure that American businesses aren’t destabilized,” Murray said.

For that reason, she said the increase in funding for deportation worries her less than the provisions in the bill that rapidly ramp up immigration detention, potentially too quickly to ensure humane treatment of those in custody. 

But she also said it’s “difficult to know 100 percent” what Trump will do.

“We can only expect that they’ll continue to target people attempting to comply with the law,” Kessler said. “They’ll continue to target people who are engaging in political speech that is disfavored by the administration. They will continue to threaten the security of US citizens for political reasons.”

Profile

vanessagalore: (Default)
vanessagalore

January 2020

S M T W T F S
    1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 

Style Credit

Base style: Yvonne
Theme: [personal profile] branchandroot
Resources: meow
Layout: [personal profile] arobynsung
Header: [personal profile] turlough
Screencaps: VM-Caps

Momentary Thing




The Edge of the Ocean




I Turn My Camera On




Sway




We Used to Be Friends




La Femme d'Argent



Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags