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China and Canada retaliate as fears deepen over global trade warView the full article

Female streamers are being told to hire security after a spate of recent attacks. Popular Twitch stars Valkyrae, Cinna, and Emiru were out in public at the Santa Monica Pier on March 2 as part of their “sisathon” streaming marathon, when a man lunged toward them, saying, “I’ll kill you right now.” The streamers called for help from security as the man chased them before the stream turned off. He had tracked their location using the live broadcast and earlier had gotten down on one knee, proposed to the three streamers, and asked one for her phone number, which she refused. Issuing an update later that evening on X, Cinna posted, “Hey everyone we are safe. Unfortunately, we have to end the marathon and need time to process what happened as we shock at the moment.” hey everyone we are safe. unfortunately we have end the marathon and need time to process what happened as we shock at the moment. Thank you for all the love and support on the marathon. We love you all. — cinna (@cinnabrit) March 3, 2025 Other streamers have rallied around the Twitch stars, advocating for increased safety measures, particularly for women in the industry. Popular streamer xChocoBars, who has advocated for more action to be taken against stalkers targeting streamers, posted on X: “The police and security need to do more for women who get stalked. I’m sick and tired of this law where they can’t do anything until something HAPPENS.” QTCinderella also shared details for the security firm she employs while streaming in public. “There have been times where they have had to be with me 24/7. It could save your life, save their info,” she posted on X. That same night, another popular streamer experienced a harrowing incident in her home. Amouranth, whose real name is Kaitlyn Siragusa, posted on social media that she’d been robbed at gunpoint by thieves trying to steal her crypto funds. “I’m being too robbed at gunpoint. I believe I shot one of them. They wanted crypto is what they were yelling they pulled me out of bed,” Amouranth posted on her X account on March 2 at 11:55 p.m. The Kick streamer and adult content creator later explained why she posted to X instead of calling emergency services. “Was at gun point they gave me phone and said log in with gun to my head and I tweeted because calling would be a death sentence,” she wrote. The attack comes just months after Amouranth posted a screenshot of a Coinbase account showing in excess of $20 million in BTC and ETH, along with the message, “Do I sell or hold my BTC?” Private security firms, such as Fast Guard Service, have reported a recent surge in demand from influencers spanning various platforms. Creators are now experiencing a number of concerning side effects that come with online fame, including unwanted attention, harassment, and even physical threats. What used to be an occupational hazard reserved for Hollywood celebrities and high-profile politicians is now a growing reality for influencers and internet personalities. View the full article

S&P predicts higher bond issuance will push stock of long-term debt to $76.9tnView the full article

Generative AI is a tempting short-cut that can prevent those at university from gaining foundational skillsView the full article

Core voters in Georgia are keeping the faith as the US administration tears up the rule bookView the full article

Washington announces decision days after White House clash with Volodymyr ZelenskyyView the full article

Zoopla figures signal easing for tenants after prolonged squeeze on finances View the full article

Surge in grievances puts regulators under pressure ahead of crucial court case View the full article

China ‘more open’ to foreign business than the west, says executive vice-president Stella LiView the full article

After more than eight decades in operation, craft retailer Joann is going out of business, closing all 800 of its stores and laying off 19,000 employees. The news comes after the retailer’s restructuring plans failed and a liquidator opted to purchase its assets. Joann is far from the only retailer in its death throes these days. Recent data shows that the number of retail-store closures is expected to double during 2025, to roughly 15,000 from the 7,300 or so in 2024. Accordingly, Joann is in a similar boat to companies such as Red Lobster, Big Lots, and Party City, which have each announced plans to either completely close up shop or enact big restructuring in recent months. And a commonality between many of them? Private equity firms are playing a large role. Private equity has been in the spotlight in recent years as it relates to many large-scale business restructurings and closings. For instance, restaurant chains Red Lobster and TGI Fridays—both of which filed for bankruptcy last year—were backed by private equity firms. Critics say that private equity, often simply referred to as PE, tends to come in and strip a company for parts and eventually kill it off rather than trying to make an honest attempt at turning the business around and making it profitable. While poor stewardship on the part of private equity can certainly contribute to a company’s downfall, experts say what happened with Joann appears to be more nuanced. “Private equity doesn’t have a crystal ball” Joann’s situation is somewhat unusual as it relates to its current situation. Back when it was known as Jo-Ann Stores, the company was acquired by PE firm Leonard Green & Partners in 2011 for roughly $1.6 billion as part of a leveraged buyout, taking the company private. The deal effectively put Joann and its resources up as collateral, and after some rebranding and leadership changes, the retailer went public again in early 2021, during a stretch when it was getting a jolt from pandemic-era growth in crafting and other such at-home activities. But the past few years haven’t been so kind, and Joann again faltered. It found itself in the lurch with two bankruptcies over the past year as its leadership was unable to successfully capture the brief momentum it had experienced in 2020 and 2021. It’s hard to ignore that Joann is a specialty retail company with a huge geographic footprint, large-format stores, and thousands of employees: exactly the kind of retailer that has found it increasingly difficult to thrive in the decades since e-commerce companies like Amazon have entered the fray. So while Joann did have PE backing, prevailing market conditions may be the firm’s ultimate undoing, experts point out. “People forget the incredible role that market conditions play,” says Donna Hitscherich, a senior lecturer in discipline, finance, and economics and director of the Private Equity Program at Columbia Business School. She says PE firms know how to operate businesses and are “singularly focused” on turning a profit. “There’s little or no incentive for PE to come in and have a business fail, as in the case of Joann,” Hitscherich says. “That wasn’t their plan. Private equity doesn’t have a crystal ball.” Though Joann did receive a shot in the arm during the pandemic, when many people took up new hobbies and crowded into craft stores, the retailer has been trending downward for a while. If a private equity firm purchases a struggling retailer only to see that retailer go under, “they’re just giving away money,” Hitscherich says. Mixed incentives There are ways that PE firms do make money even if the company it purchased is circling the drain, however. “Because of the laws and regulations that surround the PE industry, firms are often incentivized to extract money rather than to try and make a company succeed or survive,” says Brendan Ballou, author of the book Plunder: Private Equity’s Plan to Pillage America, and former special counsel with the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust division. “The issue is that PE firms also take fees from businesses, like management fees or transaction fees,” he says. In effect, PE firms may develop a sort of parasitic relationship with their portfolio companies, extracting money through fees even if it’s to the long-term detriment of the targets they acquire. This sometimes happens as part of a leveraged buyout, which may put target companies at a disadvantage, as they effectively receive a lifeline but go further into debt in order to secure it. Add in the fees on top of that, and companies that were already struggling to make money may find those struggles compounded. “The investors in the PE firm certainly want the business to succeed, but that’s not necessarily the case for the firm,” Ballou says. As such, there are mixed incentives at play. While some PE firms may end up speeding up the death of a portfolio company, rather than helping to resurrect it, supporters of private equity maintain that it plays an important role in the economy. A report from EY, provided to Fast Company by the American Investment Council, a PE-focused advocacy organization, found that the PE sector directly employed 12 million people during 2022, and a vast majority (85%) of the companies that PE firms back are small businesses with fewer than 500 employees. So, while there is a role for private equity, there are also legitimate questions to be asked when a beloved company like Joann or Red Lobster hits the skids. For Ballou, it all comes back to the issue of crossed incentives: “Failure for Joann doesn’t necessarily mean failure for a PE firm.” View the full article

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. board of directors approved a proposal to roll back its 2024 merger policy, reinstating previous guidelines while charting a new policy toward bank combinations. View the full article

Traders had been expecting cartel to postpone its plan to boost outputView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Pixel 9 is the latest series of the Google Pixel phone lineup. They were released late last summer with the 9 Pro and Pro XL getting released as well. But if you're OK with an already good camera and prefer to save some money, the 128 GB unlocked Pixel 9 is just $599 (originally $799) after a $200 discount, the lowest price it has been since its release, according to price-tracking tools. You can get it in obsidian, peony, or porcelain. Brand: Google, OS: Android 14, RAM: 12 GB, Storage: 128 GB, Screen Size: 6.3 Inches. Google Pixel 9 (Obsidian) $599.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $799.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $599.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $799.00 Save $200.00 Brand: Google, OS: Android 14, RAM: 12 GB, Storage: 128 GB, Screen Size: 6.3 Inches. Google Pixel 9 (Peony) $599.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $799.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $599.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $799.00 Save $200.00 Brand: Google, OS: Android 14, RAM: 12 GB, Storage: 128 GB, Screen Size: 6.3 Inches. Google Pixel 9 (Porcelain) $599.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $799.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $599.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $799.00 Save $200.00 SEE 0 MORE As most Pixel fans are probably aware, the budget Pixel 9a is expected to release sometime this month, which probably explains the new discount of the Pixel 9. If the pattern continues, you'll likely see the Pixel 9a come out for $500 during the pre-order sale. Also, if the trend of a-series phones continues, the Pixel 9 might still be a better value than the 9a. The Pixel 9 comes with 12GB of RAM, starts with 128GB of memory storage, a maximum 120 HZ refresh rate, and the Android 14 operating system. Lifehacker's associate tech editor Michelle Ehrhardt deemed the more premium Pixel 9 Pro's hardware as the best Google has made so far, but its AI features still had hiccups. However, AI features will keep improving over time; the most important thing to get right is the hardware. The battery life can last almost 12 hours, according to PCMag's "excellent" review. The main camera has a 50MP shooter, a 48MP ultra-wide camera with a 123-degree field of view, same as the Pro models, but it has a single-zone laser detect autofocus (LDAF) sensor (the pro has multi-zone LDAF). If you have the Pixel 8, you might not notice a huge upgrade in this version. However, if you're upgrading from an older version or doing a switch from a non-Pixel phone, the 9 has a lot to offer. One of my favorite things about Pixel phones is the ongoing support for many years. My Pixel 6A still gets all of the updates and tons of AI features that make the phone feel fresh many years later, with the latest ones dropping last month. With the Pixel 9, you'll be getting a quality phone with software updates for a while (as long as seven years). View the full article

Serena Williams is joining the ownership group of the WNBA’s first Canadian franchise, the Toronto Tempo, the team announced Monday. She will partner with Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman of Kilmer Sports Ventures for the Tempo, who will begin play in the 2026 season. “I am thrilled to announce my ownership role in the first Canadian WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo,” said Williams. “This moment is not just about basketball; it is about showcasing the true value and potential of female athletes — I have always said that women’s sports are an incredible investment opportunity. I am excited to partner with Larry and all of Canada in creating this new WNBA franchise and legacy.” Williams, one of the greatest tennis players in history, will play an active role in future jersey designs. She made her professional tennis debut at age 14 at a tournament in Canada in 1995, and her last event was the 2022 U.S. Open. Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles — the most by a woman in the sport’s Open era — plus another 14 major trophies in women’s doubles alongside her older sister, Venus. “Serena is a champion,” said Tempo President Teresa Resch. “She’s the greatest athlete of all time, and her impact on this team and this country is going to be incredible. She’s set the bar for women in sport, business and the world — and her commitment to using that success to create opportunities for other women is inspiring — we’re thrilled to be marking the lead-up to International Women’s Day with this announcement.” Williams is the latest former pro athlete to join a WNBA ownership group. Magic Johnson, Tom Brady, Dwyane Wade and Renee Montgomery already are owners. This isn’t the first ownership venture for Williams. She has a stake in the Angel City FC women’s soccer team. She also holds minority stakes in the Miami Dolphins as well as TGL’s Los Angeles Golf Club, the virtual golf league headed by PGA stars Tiger Williams and Rory McIlroy. Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, donated millions of dollars to Virginia’s women’s basketball program last year. He graduated from the school. —Doug Feinberg, AP basketball writer View the full article

The acquisition bucks recent trends that saw depository banks eliminate mortgage lending, but the 2025 market environment may be favorable for consolidation. View the full article

French discuss proposal for Kremlin to lose securities if it breaches a future ceasefire View the full article

As climate change causes more frequent disasters, more mortgages are at risk of going underwater. How can banks limit their exposure? View the full article

US president says there is ‘no room’ for further negotiationView the full article

U.S. grocer Kroger said on Monday CEO Rodney McMullen has resigned after a board investigation found that his personal conduct was “inconsistent” with certain company policies. The conduct is not related to financial performance, operations or reporting, and it did not involve any Kroger associates, the company said. The surprise ouster of the 64-year-old executive comes after the company in December terminated a two-year effort to buy rival Albertsons in a $25 billion deal, an attempt McMullen had staunchly defended as a way to fight higher prices and better compete with Walmart and Costco. Meanwhile, Albertsons has sued Kroger for an alleged breach of contract that led to the demise of the deal. Kroger, when contacted, declined to provide more details on the exit of McMullen — who was its CEO for more than a decade and has been at the company since 1978 — and the nature of the conduct that led to his ouster. McMullen did not respond to a request via LinkedIn for comment. “McMullen stepping down certainly puts Kroger in a vulnerable position. The company is already dealing with the aftermath of its abandoned Albertsons merger, and a leadership change at this stage can complicate things,” said Riley Beam, managing attorney at Douglas R. Beam, a personal injury law firm based in Melbourne, Florida. “For investors, the risk is obvious — uncertainty.” The Cincinnati, Ohio-based company’s shares were down about 1.4% in early trading on Monday. The stock has more than tripled in value since McMullen took the helm in 2014. Following the failed merger plan in December, some United Food and Commercial Workers local unions urged Kroger’s board to replace McMullen after the company announced a $7.5 billion stock buyback plan. McMullen was trying to “distract attention from his multiple failures as CEO by announcing a massive one-time giveaway to shareholders,” the group had said. Kroger said on Monday the board was made aware of certain personal conduct by McMullen on February 21 and immediately retained an outside independent counsel to conduct an investigation, which was overseen by a special board committee. The board has appointed lead director Ronald Sargent as interim CEO. A long-time director at Kroger, Sargent was previously the CEO at office supplies chain Staples for more than a decade. He also serves on the board of Wells Fargo, where he is the chair of the human resources committee. Kroger said the board has formed a search committee and appointed a firm to conduct a search for its next CEO. The company said McMullen would not be eligible to receive a bonus for 2024. He received a total compensation of $15.71 million for fiscal year 2023, according to the company’s proxy statement. Kroger, scheduled to report its fourth-quarter results on Thursday, expects full-year adjusted earnings per share to be slightly above the high end of its forecast range. Several prominent CEOs have also been ousted for violating company policy, including McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook in 2019 and Hewlett-Packard’s Co-CEO Mark Hurd in 2010. “If past is any guidance, there is usually no impact (on a company’s performance),” said Xu Jiang, associate professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. “The interim CEO will likely follow the previous CEO’s strategies so there is minimal disruption of Kroger’s business.” —Savyata Mishra and Aishwarya Venugopal, Reuters View the full article

Zoho Corporation has announced the release of Notebook AI, an AI-powered note-taking assistant now available on iOS, Android, web browsers, and macOS. Users can activate a 15-day trial to explore the app’s features before purchasing, with pricing set at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year for individual consumers. The company also plans to roll out Notebook AI to Notebook Business users within the next month at no additional cost to Business plan subscribers. Notebook AI integrates a suite of artificial intelligence tools designed to enhance note-taking, organization, and content creation. The app includes features such as content generation, translation, transcription, and shape recognition. It also offers grammar insights powered by BluePencil from Zoho Writer and voice-powered search through Zia Search. With the help of Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and an interactive Q&A chatbot powered by Ask Zia, Notebook AI aims to simplify note management and improve productivity for users. Notebook AI offers a range of features to improve writing quality and efficiency. The AI-powered grammar tool refines text by correcting errors, eliminating redundancy, and ensuring inclusivity. The built-in Plagiarism Checker helps users maintain originality in their work. Additionally, Notebook AI suggests relevant tags to keep notes organized and searchable. The app also supports seamless translation, enabling users to convert notes into different languages effortlessly. “Notebook goes beyond note-taking, acting as a powerful translation tool that helps you translate your notes to any language,” Zoho stated. For users who rely on audio input, Notebook AI includes a transcription feature that converts recorded speech into readable text, making it easy to document meetings, lectures, and interviews. Its handwriting and shape recognition tools further enhance visual note-taking by refining handwritten text and perfecting drawn shapes. Notebook AI simplifies navigation with voice-activated search capabilities. Users can quickly locate notes without manually scrolling through entries, enhancing efficiency and accessibility. Currently available for individual consumers, Zoho plans to extend Notebook AI to business users in the coming month. With its broad array of AI-powered tools, Notebook AI is positioned to enhance productivity and organization for users looking to streamline their note-taking experience across multiple platforms. Images: Zoho This article, "Zoho Launches Notebook AI Across Multiple Platforms" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Zoho Corporation has announced the release of Notebook AI, an AI-powered note-taking assistant now available on iOS, Android, web browsers, and macOS. Users can activate a 15-day trial to explore the app’s features before purchasing, with pricing set at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year for individual consumers. The company also plans to roll out Notebook AI to Notebook Business users within the next month at no additional cost to Business plan subscribers. Notebook AI integrates a suite of artificial intelligence tools designed to enhance note-taking, organization, and content creation. The app includes features such as content generation, translation, transcription, and shape recognition. It also offers grammar insights powered by BluePencil from Zoho Writer and voice-powered search through Zia Search. With the help of Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and an interactive Q&A chatbot powered by Ask Zia, Notebook AI aims to simplify note management and improve productivity for users. Notebook AI offers a range of features to improve writing quality and efficiency. The AI-powered grammar tool refines text by correcting errors, eliminating redundancy, and ensuring inclusivity. The built-in Plagiarism Checker helps users maintain originality in their work. Additionally, Notebook AI suggests relevant tags to keep notes organized and searchable. The app also supports seamless translation, enabling users to convert notes into different languages effortlessly. “Notebook goes beyond note-taking, acting as a powerful translation tool that helps you translate your notes to any language,” Zoho stated. For users who rely on audio input, Notebook AI includes a transcription feature that converts recorded speech into readable text, making it easy to document meetings, lectures, and interviews. Its handwriting and shape recognition tools further enhance visual note-taking by refining handwritten text and perfecting drawn shapes. Notebook AI simplifies navigation with voice-activated search capabilities. Users can quickly locate notes without manually scrolling through entries, enhancing efficiency and accessibility. Currently available for individual consumers, Zoho plans to extend Notebook AI to business users in the coming month. With its broad array of AI-powered tools, Notebook AI is positioned to enhance productivity and organization for users looking to streamline their note-taking experience across multiple platforms. Images: Zoho This article, "Zoho Launches Notebook AI Across Multiple Platforms" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

There’s more to winning than just winning. The way someone handles their tremendous success, after all, can transform a winner back into a loser—something Adrien Brody proved last night with a rambling, rule-defiant acceptance speech that managed to snatch reputational defeat from the jaws of career victory. With many of his peers gathered under one roof, and the whole world watching, he put on a masterclass in how not to behave at work. Not only did Brody win his second best actor award last night—this one for The Brutalist, putting him in an elite class of multi-winners along with Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson, and Marlon Brando—he also won a slot in the Guinness World Records for longest acceptance speech in Oscars history. While many winners always tend to flout the tight 45-second limit in their speeches, Brody brazenly exceeded it by five full minutes. For many viewers and social media users, it came across as a breathtaking display of entitlement, in an industry famously riddled with self-regard. Instead of a winner worth rooting for, he resembled the most annoying guy in a meeting. Brody has never had much luck with live moments. Back when he won his first Oscar in 2003, for his work in The Pianist, he pulled Halle Berry into a long and not-entirely-consensual open-mouth kiss on his way to the podium. (“I bet they didn’t tell you that was in the gift bag,” he brayed into the mic immediately afterward.) It was a bizarre move that would never fly today, and barely did back then (even though Berry returned the kiss on last night’s red carpet). Brody bungled another live moment just a few months later, going rogue while hosting SNL by donning fake dreads and a painful patois to introduce Jamaican dance hall star Sean Paul. (He has not hosted the show again since.) Last night’s acceptance speech was a chance for redemption. Brody could have changed the paradigm of his problematic past by finally getting a big, live, victory-lap moment just right. Needless to say, he blew it. This speech started out at a low point, even before it began. On his way to the podium, Brody visibly remembered that he was chewing gum, and that it might not be a good look to continue doing that during his speech. Rather than swallowing the gum or placing it in his tuxedo pocket, Brody instead turned around and tossed the wad to his partner, Georgina Chapman. It might have been a cute moment if viewed in a vacuum, but given all the privilege dripping from the speech that followed, it made Chapman seem like Brody’s personal gum valet. After arriving at the podium, Brody lamented, “They’re already counting me down,” as though the timer was a vindictive hall monitor out to get him, rather than the same, standard shot clock everyone else had been asked to abide by all night. Not a great start! He then proceeded to speak in a trembly, deliberate cadence, taking his leisurely time. “If I may just humbly begin,” he said, after already saying several other things, “by giving thanks for the tremendous outpouring of love that I’ve felt from this world.” What followed was by far the strongest portion of Brody’s speech. “Acting is a very fragile profession,” he continued with obvious emotion. Throughout the long, winding road of a career that spans four decades, Brody has always been considered a richly talented actor, even during years when his star seemed to be on the wane. In this part of his speech, Brody made it clear he’s aware his career never quite reached the heights his first Oscar suggested were within his grasp, and that a lot of actors have had similar trajectories. Indeed, some Hollywood careers unfurl in long, graceful arcs, while others are more like short, bumpy roller-coaster rides. Brody seemed legitimately grateful his career had finally rebalanced, and it was touching to behold. Whatever goodwill Brody earned in that moment abruptly evaporated, however, when he began to ramble—“Winning an award like this signifies a destination”—and then refused to cede the spotlight long after the producers piped in the wrap-it-up music. It wasn’t just that he cruised past the time limit, it was the arrogance he exuded while doing so. “Please, please, I’m wrapping up, I will wrap up,” he said while making the universal hand gesture for cut it out. “I’ve done this before,” he added. “It’s not my first rodeo.” In that moment, Brody became every annoying, entitled coworker whose narcissism compels him to demand preferential treatment. You know, the kind who sucks up valuable time in the dwindling moments of a meeting because their ideas are simply too brilliant to be saved? Earlier in the night, best supporting actor winner Kieran Culkin proved it’s possible to ward off the wrap-it-up music without looking like a jerk. About 90 seconds into the acceptance speech for his work in A Real Pain, Culkin politely asked to not be played off so he could tell a quick story about his wife, Jazz Charlton. He then went on to tell an irresistibly cute anecdote about the negotiations between him and Charlton over how many children they would have together. Not only was the story adorable, it provided continuity from previous Culkin award speeches. It was also just as brief as the star promised, at about a minute, as he made a respectful effort to rush through without bungling his words. (And without throwing any gum at his wife, to boot.) Brody, on the other hand, kept going for even longer after refusing to leave, and continued speaking in the same unhurried tone, attempting to imbue each word with special meaning. The stark contrast between the two performers proves it’s not difficult to be a graceful winner. It might even require more effort to misread a room full of peers so egregiously. For a moment there, Brody had crystallized the narrative that his unlikely second Oscar proves he’s been undervalued for decades. But once his off-putting self-importance kicked in, he instead revealed that those fallow years were fallow probably for good reason. View the full article

Confrontation between Washington and Kyiv intensifies after European summit at the weekendView the full article

As part of Mobile World Congress, happening this week in Barcelona, Google has teased that its Gemini AI is finally ready to see the world. Literally. Originally teased as Project Astra in May of last year, Google’s Gemini Live with Video and Gemini Live with Screenshare features each have a new trailer, showing how the search giant plans to catch up with ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode. Soon, Google One AI Premium subscribers will be able to share their phone screens and real-time video with Gemini, which the chatbot will then be able to use to answer questions. ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode got these features late last year, but it also requires you to shell out at least $20/month for a ChatGPT Plus subscription. While a Google One AI Premium plan is priced identically, it also throws in 2TB of storage for your Drive and Gmail accounts, so depending on your needs, it could be the better pick for you. In the trailers, Google shows users accessing Gemini Live via the Gemini phone app to open a real-time conversation with the AI, then tapping either a video or screen sharing button at the bottom of the screen to get started. In the Gemini Live with Video demo, we see someone showing the chatbot some vases they’ve just fired as well as some glaze swatches and asking for advice on which one to choose. In the Screenshare demo, the chatbot instead looks at a store listing for a pair of jeans and gives advice on which type of clothes to pair with them. I’d love to meet the type of person who would go through all of the effort of spinning and firing a vase without knowing what color to glaze it, but the point is clear. Gemini will soon be able to use real-time video and screen captures as input when answering prompts. Unfortunately, Google hasn’t yet said much more than that. When Project Astra was originally teased, it boasted such impressive (and creepy) abilities as “being able to tell where you live just by looking out the window.” These trailers seem significantly scaled back in comparison, but they're also clearly just short demos. I’m curious to see how the feature actually functions once users get their hands on it, which Google says will happen “later this month.” View the full article

Sunday night marked Hulu’s first time airing the Oscars live. But its academy awards debut ended on a chaotic and frustratingly premature note. Hulu’s livestream cut off in the final moments of the show — with two major award categories, best actress and best picture, still to be announced because of a scheduling system issue. Those viewing the awards ceremony on Hulu instead saw an error code message that stated the event was over. Viewer outrage, predictably, ensued online. Fans, including those throwing Oscar-viewing parties, eagerly await the final, pivotal moments of the show. Hulu viewers missed Mikey Madison and “Anora” win the night’s titles for both best actress and best picture in real time. The Hulu stream also had a rough start, with a few users reporting issues logging on to the platform due to another technical problem. For some, that meant missing the show’s musical intro performed by “Wicked” stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Disney, which has run Hulu since 2019, apologized to viewers. “Yesterday evening, we experienced technical and live stream issues on Hulu which impacted some Oscars viewers,” the company wrote in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Monday. “We apologize for the experience.” Disney added that a “full replay” of the event is now available on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+, the streamers’ bundled offering. That replay includes the final moments of Sunday night’s show. Hulu’s foray into the Oscars arrives as more streaming platforms are betting big on live programming of prominent events — from awards shows and pop culture moments, to major sports matchups like the Super Bowl. Hulu’s stumble was not the first among today’s biggest streaming platforms. Netflix users, for example, expressed frustrations with streaming and buffering problems before and during November’s widely-watched, livestream fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. And in 2023, the platform’s “Love Is Blind” fans also saw a lengthy delay ahead of a reunion special originally set to air live. The Oscars have aired on ABC for decades. While Sunday marked the first time cord cutters could watch through standard Hulu plans, subscribers of the more expensive Hulu Live TV have been able to tune into the awards show in years past. The show has also continued to be available on other services offering live streaming of ABC, such as YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and FuboTV. —Wyatte Grantham-Philips, AP business writer AP Writer Beatrice Dupuy contributed to this report. View the full article