**US Hackers Reportedly Triggered a Blackout in Venezuela Ahead of Military Incursion**

Amidst the ongoing military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the arrest of President Nicholas Maduro and his wife, a shocking revelation has emerged: the US appears to have carried out a cyberattack on the country's power grid, causing a blackout in Caracas.

The news comes from The New York Times, which cited unnamed US officials confirming that the blackout was indeed caused by a cyberattack. According to the report, the attack also disabled Venezuelan air defense radar ahead of the incursion, making it easier for US forces to gain control of the country's capital city.

This development marks a significant escalation in the use of cyber warfare by the US government. Only Russia has previously been confirmed to have carried out such an operation, hacking into Ukraine's power grid and causing blackouts in several regions. The US had long maintained that it would never engage in such tactics, but it appears that this stance has now changed.

The timing of the cyberattack is also noteworthy. According to President Trump, the blackout was caused by a "certain expertise" possessed by the US. While the exact nature of this expertise remains unclear, it's evident that the US government has been secretly developing and deploying cyber warfare capabilities for some time.

As The New York Times notes, the power was restored quickly in Caracas, but only after US Cyber Command had intervened. This suggests that the attack may have been designed to disable Venezuela's ability to respond to the military incursion, making it easier for US forces to gain control of the country.

**The AI Hiring Tool That Sent Untrained ICE Agents Into the Field**

In a separate development, a report from NBC News has shed light on an AI tool used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to vet potential candidates for deportation officer positions. The tool was supposed to review resumes and categorize applicants based on their past law enforcement experience.

However, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke with NBC News, the tool was actually broken. Candidates without law enforcement experience were being placed in a shorter online course instead of undergoing the required eight weeks of in-person training. This has raised questions about how much vetting is being done for ICE agents going through the application process.

As journalist Laura Jedeed discovered, it's possible to get hired by ICE even if you don't meet the basic qualifications. In her case, she applied to be a deportation officer despite having no law enforcement experience and was still offered a job. This has sparked concerns about the quality of training and the level of scrutiny being given to applicants.

**Palantir's ELITE App: A Tool for ICE to Target Immigrants**

A recent report from 404 Media has revealed the exact app built by Palantir for ICE, which helps the agency choose targets and decide on which neighborhoods to focus its raids. The tool, called Enhanced Leads Identification & Targeting for Enforcement (ELITE), provides a map with human targets and confidence scores based on data sources ingested from official sources and surveillance.

Senator Ron Wyden has criticized ELITE as a "Big Brother" database that allows ICE to track down immigrants like they would choose a nearby coffee shop. The app's ability to pinpoint the closest person to arrest and disappear using government and commercial data raises concerns about the erosion of civil liberties and the potential for abuse.

**Iranian Activist Networks Use Starlink to Stay Online Amid Internet Shutdown**

As Iran's internet blackout continues, some activists have found a way to stay online thanks to an effort to smuggle Starlink satellite internet devices into the country. According to The New York Times, some 50,000 of these devices are now in Iran, providing a window of internet access despite the government's efforts to suppress information about the protests.

However, activists are worried that Elon Musk may change his mind and make the service unavailable, as he has done in China. This highlights the complex relationship between technology companies and governments, particularly when it comes to censorship and surveillance.