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Google has doubled down on its automation-first strategy with a key update to Performance Max (PMax) campaigns: some advertisers can now add up to 50 Search themes. Why we care. This update gives advertisers more flexibility and control in guiding Google’s AI-powered targeting. Search themes, which help steer PMax toward relevant search traffic, are increasingly critical for advertisers looking to influence automation without relying on traditional keywords. Catch up quick. Search themes act as keyword-like signals to help Performance Max campaigns align with user intent. The limit started at 10, was raised to 25 in late 2023, and now sits at 50. Between the lines. Some advertisers had complained that the previous 25-theme cap was too restrictive, especially for accounts with broad product lines or diverse customer segments. Google’s move appears to respond directly to that feedback. What’s next. Watch for marketers to experiment with the added flexibility. Expect updated best practices on theme grouping, testing strategies, and how to prevent overlap with existing Search or Shopping campaigns. First seen. This update was first spotted Google Ads Specialist Pronay Roy then shared by Thomas Eccel on LinkedIn. View the full article

Google's Martin Splitt shares key JavaScript rendering insights. He discusses AI crawlers, SSR vs. CSR, and the impact of structured data. The post Server-Side vs. Client-Side Rendering: What Google Recommends appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

President Donald The President just won’t let go of his ongoing battle against Harvard. In the latest move against the Ivy League school, The President on Friday said he will revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status. It’s another attempt to defund Harvard, which has flat out refused to comply with the administration’s long list of demands for higher education institutions, requiring the university to make sweeping changes in order to keep its $2.2 billion in federal funding—which the administration has since frozen, prompting Harvard to sue the administration, leaving it to the courts to decide. Those demands include ending DEI on campus; taking actions aimed at ending antisemitism, including when it limits free speech; and trying to enforce or at least have a say in what professors can ultimately teach on campus. “We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” The President wrote in a post on Truth Social. In response, Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton told NBC News that not only was “there was no legal basis to rescind its status,” but also revoking the university’s tax-exempt status “would endanger our ability to carry out our educational mission . . . [and] result in diminished financial aid for students, abandonment of critical medical research programs . . . [and] more broadly would have grave consequences for the future of higher education in America.” Harvard, like most major colleges and universities, is a tax-exempt organization. Trying to pull one university’s funding would likely be challenged in court, as many of The President’s executive orders have been just 100-some days into his second term. (Harvard’s federal income tax exemption as an educational institution is mandated under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. As an educational institution, Harvard is also exempt from state income tax in Massachusetts, where it is located.) Harvard’s unwillingness to back down has created a target on its back—because if one university, one law firm, or one state can stand up to The President, it could pave the way for others to do the same. For example, since Harvard boldly refused to comply with the administration’s demands earlier this month, a number of other schools have followed with some form of resistance. In the weeks following The President’s decision to try to pull nearly all of Harvard’s $2.2 billion in federal funding, 170 college presidents, including those of Princeton University and Brown University, signed a letter rebuking the administration’s “overreach.” The American Association of Colleges and Universities said in a statement, “as leaders of America’s colleges, universities, and scholarly societies, we speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.” Although Harvard has a vast endowment of $53.2 billion, it relies on several other sources beyond that for its funding, and can only tap about 20% of it for discretionary spending to go toward covering the money lost by The President’s funding freeze. In fact, the majority of Harvard’s endowment has restrictions that stipulate how exactly the Ivy can spend that money. View the full article

Widespread local election wins raise prospect of populist party becoming Labour’s main oppositionView the full article

President Donald The President’s 2026 budget plan would slash non-defense domestic spending by $163 billion while increasing expenditures on national security, according to White House statements Friday. The plan shows a desire to crack down on diversity programs and initiatives to address climate change. But it doesn’t include details about what The President wants on income taxes, tariffs, entitlement programs or the budget deficit — a sign of the challenge confronting the president when he’s promising to cut taxes and repay the federal debt without doing major damage to economic growth. Budgets do not become law but serve as a touchstone for the upcoming fiscal year debates. Often considered a statement of values, this first budget since The President’s return to the White House carries the added weight of defining the Republican president’s second-term pursuits, alongside his party in Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the plan showed fiscal discipline given the problems of persistently high budget deficits. The budget released on Friday did not, in fact, include a forecast on government borrowing. “President The President’s plan ensures every federal taxpayer dollar spent is used to serve the American people, not a bloated bureaucracy or partisan pet projects,” Johnson said. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the cuts could ultimately be more extreme than what the administration has proposed, noting that the budget doesn’t provide funding levels for programs such as Head Start. “President The President has made his priorities clear as day: he wants to outright defund programs that help working Americans while he shovels massive tax breaks at billionaires like himself and raises taxes on middle-class Americans with his reckless tariffs,” Murray said. The budget seeks to cut discretionary spending by a total of 7.6% next year, but includes a 13% increase in national security spending. The State Department and international programs would lose 84% of their money and receive $9.6 billion, a cut that reflects the existing efforts by adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. The Housing and Urban Development Department would get a $33.6 billion cut, while the Health and Human Service Department would receive $33.3 trillion less and the Education Department’s spending would be reduced by $12 billion. The Defense Department would get an additional $113.3 billion and Homeland Security would receive $42.3 billion more. The IRS and FBI would lose money, while the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program would be ended. There would be $980 million less for college students in work-study programs, as well as similarly sized cuts for adult education and instruction for learning English. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would lose nearly $3.6 billion under the plan, while the National Institutes of Health would face a steep cut of almost $18 billion. The budget would eliminate more than $15 billion for infrastructure-related programs tied to climate change and $1.3 billion from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The White House budget plan arrives as The President has unilaterally imposed what could hundreds of billions of dollars in tax increases in the form of tariffs, setting off a trade war that has consumers, CEOs and foreign leaders worried about a possible economic downturn. The White House’s Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russell Vought, a chief architect of Project 2025, provided contours of a so-called skinny version of topline numbers only regarding discretionary spending. Administration officials said a fuller budget will come soon with plans to address the drivers of the annual deficit. The nation’s estimated $7 trillion-plus federal budget has been growing steadily, with annual deficits fast approaching $2 trillion and the annual interest payments on the debt almost $1 trillion. That’s thanks mostly to the spike in emergency COVID-19 pandemic spending, changes in the tax code that reduced revenues and the climbing costs of Medicare, Medicaid and other programs, largely to cover the nation’s health needs as people age. The nation’s debt load, at $36 trillion, is ballooning. Democrats are prepared to assail The President’s budget as further evidence that the Republican administration is intent on gutting government programs that Americans depend on. Congress is already deep into the slog of drafting of The President’s big bill of tax breaks, spending cuts and bolstered funds for the administration’s mass deportation effort — a package that, unlike the budget plan, would carry the force of law. But deep differences remain among the Republicans, who are trying to pass that big bill over the objections of Democrats. “We are awaiting some final calculations on a few of the tax components, and we expect to be able to complete that work on a very aggressive schedule,” Johnson said. It’s Congress, under its constitutional powers, that decides the spending plans, approves the bills that authorize federal programs and funds them through the appropriations process. Often, that system breaks down, forcing lawmakers to pass stopgap spending bills to keep the government funded and avoid federal shutdowns. Vought is also expected on Capitol Hill in the weeks ahead as the The President administration presses its case to Congress for funds. Among the more skilled conservative budget hands in Washington, Vought has charted a career toward this moment. He served during the first The President administration in the same role and, for Project 2025, wrote an extensive chapter about the remaking of the federal government. Vought has separately been preparing a $9 billion package that would gut current 2025 funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which involves the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio. The President signed an executive order late Thursday that instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and federal agencies to cease funding for PBS and NPR. Vought has said that package of so-called budget rescissions would be a first of potentially more, as the The President administration tests the appetite in Congress for lawmakers to go on record and vote to roll back the money. —Lisa Mascaro and Josh Boak, Associated Press View the full article

Reform party’s rout in local elections poses huge challenges for Conservatives and Labour View the full article

Budget blueprint proposes slashing environmental and aid programmes, while boosting support for defenceView the full article

Only 50% of employed people in the U.S. describe themselves as “extremely satisfied” with their job, so it’s safe to say that everyone at some point in their lives has dreaded going to work on Monday and dreamed of the sort of career you see on television: Fun, exciting, and with a high enough salary to be comfortable. If you think that “fun” and “pays enough” are polar opposites, the good news is that’s not true. If you want to have a good time while earning a salary, there are some surprising options out there. These jobs may not make you rich, but they will pay your bills while you get to have a blast. LEGO master builderIf you thought your days of playing with LEGO ended when you became an adult, it’s time to revise your concept of adulthood because the LEGO master builder profession exists. This—and I cannot stress this enough—is a real job. LEGO hires people at its stores and facilities to build, maintain, and repair massive, complex installations. Master builders also perform a PR role for the company, doing interviews and creating social media content. Getting the job doesn’t require any formal education or certification—a high school diploma is the basic requirement—but a background in art and design won’t hurt. The main qualification is creativity, so having a portfolio of impressive LEGO creations is essential. The company holds regional competitions called Brick Factors where you compete against other LEGO enthusiasts to be named an assistant master builder, putting you on the career track of your childhood dreams, so you’ll have to check at your local Discovery Center for the next opportunity. A LEGO master builder earns an average of about $46,000, with New York being the highest-paying area at about $50,000 annually. RoadieThe role of the roadie has evolved quite a bit from the classic image of the grungy dude hauling amplifiers around backstage. Bands and other traveling music performances still need roadies, but the modern incarnations are more specialized, including lighting and sound engineers and instrument technicians. While that might sound intimidating, most roadies learn their skills on the job—they start off with a low-level job at a local music venue, network with artists and managers who come through the space, and often have to work for free for a while in order to establish themselves. Once you do that, however, you can earn anywhere from $45,000 to $60,000 a year—although it’s all freelance work, so your income will vary tremendously depending on whether you’re touring with a national act or a band that’s just getting started. It can be hard work—long hours and months spent on the road in uncomfortable accommodations—but if you love music and want the rush of setting up a concert for thousands of people, this career could be a blast. Water slide testerYes, this is an actual job you can get. Also called a ride verification technician, a water slide tester is exactly what it sounds like: You test water slides for safety, operation, and any other issues. Some of these jobs are permanent in a specific amusement park, and sometimes they travel around the country testing and inspecting slides everywhere, but it still equates to slapping on some swimwear and taking multiple splashdowns every day for a living. The main prerequisite is first aid and lifeguard certifications, which can often be obtained from the hiring company itself. You’ll also need to become very familiar with the specifications and operating guidelines for the specific slides, as manufacturers have very strict rules on how frequently people can enter and other stats. The average annual salary for a water slide tester is about $60,000 annually, although a few years ago someone on Reddit claimed to be making closer to $100,000. Ice sculptingIf you’ve ever been to a fancy party (or a party that wants desperately to be fancy), you’ve probably seen an ice sculpture or two in your time. If you have an artistic mind and a related skill in carving, this could be a fun career that lets you make money by being creative (and bringing a little joy to people, too). There are different routes into the career: You can take a class from someplace like the Academy of Ice Carving and Design in Tennessee or from established ice sculptors who offer them, or you can contact local sculptors and see if you can get a job or an unpaid internship with them. There’s no certification process, however, so you can also just start carving some ice and then enter an ice sculpting competition like Ice Alaska or the Québec Winter Carnival. A few awards will be all you need to start getting gigs. You can make an average of about $50,000 annually as an ice sculptor in the U.S.—but income can be as much as twice as high depending on your location and the opportunities available. Candle or perfume 'nose'If your idea of a good time is being paid to smell things, being a nose is the ideal career. A nose is a professional who works for a perfumery, a candle company, or any other place where smell is a key component of the business. Becoming a nose (sometimes called a perfumer, especially in the fragrance business) isn’t something you just decide to do, however. While you don’t need to be born with a freakish sense of smell, you do need a lot of training. It starts with getting a degree in a field like chemistry or cosmetic science in order to have the fundamental training necessary. From there it’s possible to find apprenticeship positions in fragrance houses or at candle companies, but your best bet will likely be certification at a perfumery school, which will take years and won’t be cheap. But if your passions run through your sense of smell, this could be the perfect career for you. And it’ll pay your rent, too, depending on where you live: A nose can make about $70,000 a year on average. View the full article

As if there wasn’t enough to worry about already between the economic pressure of President The President’s tariffs and an escalating trade war with China, not mention the overhaul of our federal government, you can add this to the list: Next week is the deadline before updated identification requirements for domestic travel will kick in. Starting May 7, Americans will need to have the new Real ID in place of a regular driver’s license to board a domestic flight. Here’s everything you need to know about the new Real ID requirements. What is a Real ID? So you’re probably wondering: What is the Real ID, anyway? It’s an enhanced form of identification, either a federally compliant state-issued driver’s license, learner’s permit, or another form of approved identification. Real IDs are marked with a gold or black star in the upper right-hand corner, to indicate it meets the federal security standards set by the REAL ID Act. Those stars vary from state to state. For example, a Massachusetts Real ID driver’s license or identification card displays a simple gold star, while a California Real ID will be marked with a golden bear in the same place. Why is it necessary to get a Real ID? Starting May 7, people in the U.S. will need a Real ID for domestic air travel, access to secure federal facilities, and to enter nuclear power plants. (The majority of Americans will need a Real ID for the purpose of boarding a plane.) Why is the government requiring Real IDs? In the years following the deadly plane crashes on September 11th, most notably into the World Trade Center, Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005. (The hijackers responsible for those attacks were reportedly carrying U.S. driver’s licenses and state IDs.) Recommended by the 9/11 Commission, it required the government to “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses,” which established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. After a number of delays, Real ID requirements will finally go into effect after 20 years in the making. What’s the deadline to obtain a Real ID for travel? Starting May 7, 2025, travelers 18 years of age and older will need a Real ID-compliant driver’s license or identification to fly within the United States. How can I get a Real ID? In many states, people can obtain a Real ID by visiting their local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office and providing required an assortment of documentation, including state-issued driver’s licenses, otherwise approved ID cards, or a passport. This will likely require making an in-person appointment. There are recent reports of long lines in many states including Pennsylvania and Kentucky, with New York extending service hours at select offices, according to the New York Times. Check your state’s driver’s licensing agency website to find out exactly what documentation is required, as it may vary from state to state. At a minimum, most documentation requirements include: your full legal name, date of birth, social security number, proofs of address, and lawful status. Are all states issuing Real ID compliant cards? Yes. All states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories are Real ID compliant and issuing Real ID compliant driver’s licenses and IDs. What if I can’t get a Real ID by May 7 but still need to fly? If you are traveling domestically, you will only need one valid form of identification, either your Real ID or another acceptable alternative such as a passport, not both. So if you don’t get your Real ID and need to fly after the May 7 deadline, you can still board a plane for domestic travel using your passport. Just make sure it’s up to date. If you are traveling internationally you will still need your passport. View the full article

Google’s latest update to Performance Max (PMax) campaigns—featuring Channel Reporting, Asset Reporting, and Search Term Reports—has triggered a wide range of responses from marketers. From cautious optimism to pointed critiques, advertisers are weighing in on how these long-awaited features may reshape their campaign strategies. Deeper insight arrives – finally Optmyzr Brand Evangelist Navah Hopkins celebrated the newfound visibility: “Google just announced some really important updates to PMax and I think it’s important we talk about just what they mean for us as we continue to market in the AI world. Google is FINALLY giving transparency into where budget is going (UI exclusive for now) and I have to say I love the interface.” However, Hopkins also expressed a shared frustration many marketers feel: “I don’t love that we can’t do anything about this data. Imagine knowing that your child was getting into trouble and there was no way to get to them. That’s what this feels like: all the tension with none of the ability to react.” Despite this limitation, she sees the potential for future enhancements: “This does seem to open the door for CPA/ROAS guidance on where budget goes (Google seems open to that as a V2 or V3 of this).” Local and Lead Gen Advertisers Take Note Local Ads Specialist, Harrison Jack Hepp sees the updates as a major advantage for local businesses: “Channel and asset level reporting is going to be a big deal for local businesses using PMax campaigns. Specifically, I’m excited to see a breakdown on maps performance vs. search for these campaigns.” He cautions against misinterpreting the data too narrowly: “The knee jerk reaction is going to be worrying about poor performing display or YouTube placements. You have to remember that you’re using PMax because it places across channels. If you don’t want multichannel placements, then PMax shouldn’t be your go to campaign anyway.” For Hepp, the true value lies in deeper strategic insight: “The focus should be on what can we learn about how the campaign is targeting our customers and how can we apply those learnings to our marketing strategy. Think strategically, not tactically.” Hopkins echoed similar enthusiasm for lead gen marketers: “Lead Gen also got some amazing presents here in the diagnostic data so they can actually leverage the lead gen specific channels (think local).” Helpful, But Still Limited? Not everyone was as enthused. SaaS Marketing Consultant Chris Lloyd remarked: “Interface wrappers around existing scripts are useful and good. But probably only benefits lower-spend accounts that are less familiar with scripts. And lower-spend accounts probably shouldn’t be using PMax anyway, especially if they’re lead gen/B2B.” Paid Search Specialist Matt Beswick was more blunt: “The biggest part of the update is accessible already by a script. And the real impactful part is still missing—the ability to do anything about it!” Smarter Reporting, Smarter Strategy Optmyzr founder, Frederick Vallaeys urged advertisers to use the new data wisely, offering a structured approach: Think Holistically: “Avoid analyzing channels or assets in isolation. Understand and respect the portfolio effect.” Think Marginally: “Focus on marginal ROI and incrementality when making budget decisions.” Think Scalability: “Don’t compare their efficiency without considering their scale.” Prune Cautiously: “Remove clearly irrelevant queries, but avoid overly aggressive negatives.” Optimize the Mix: “Enhance your creative portfolio, focusing on variety.” A Step Toward What Advertisers Actually Need? Founder of Savvy Revenue, Andrew Lolk captured the cautious optimism shared by many: “I’m (finally) optimistic about P-Max evolving into what we actually need: Smarter controls for smarter advertisers. Google try to optimize for everyone. You optimize for YOUR account.” Lolk emphasized the significance of each individual feature: “Channel Reporting – My take: Massive step forward. But without channel-level ROAS goals, it’ll still focus your budget on Search / Shopping. Full Search Terms Reporting – One step closer to Standard. Expanded Asset Reporting – Sneaky huge. Finally real asset-level insights, even for Search assets. Most of you will gloss over this among all the news, but for me this is the biggest news.” Conclusion Google’s latest PMax update marks a pivotal moment: a long-overdue step toward transparency and better insights, yet still constrained by limited control. As advertisers adapt to these changes, one message comes through clearly—strategy must evolve with the tools, and understanding how campaigns work across channels is more important than ever. View the full article

Rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK threatens the Labour-Conservative duopolyView the full article

First foreign trip for prime minister since this week’s election will focus on ‘trade pressures’View the full article

Need to quickly edit a photo? MiNi PhotoEditor is a free and open source web application that lets you do basic image editing tasks in your browser, without having to upload your photos to a server somewhere. The application offers quick tools for cropping, lighting, and other adjustments, alongside Instagram-style filters. This is perfect if you ever need to quickly edit an image on a computer where you can't install photo editing software, such as a Chromebook or a work computer. To get started, simply open the MiNi PhotoEditor website and drag an image onto it. In my tests, all images—even large ones—opened instantly, which makes sense, given that all editing happens locally on your computer. No need to wait for it to upload. The editing interface is simple—your image is on the left, and the editing tools are arranged in boxes to the right (or below, if your window isn't wide enough to display them to the side). The top box allows you to rotate the image, crop it (by hand or to a given ratio) and even do some basic perspective shifting. Below that are boxes for adjusting the lighting levels and the color balance, which can be useful if the lighting wasn't quite right when you took the photo. There are also a few Instagram-style filters that can be applied with a click. Credit: Justin Pot Feel free to make as many edits as you want—the original file isn't affected. You can click the Split button in the top-right corner to see the difference between the original image and the edited version. When you're done, click the Download button to save the image as either a JPEG or PNG file. MiNi PhotoEditor is never going to replace a full-blown photo editor like Photoshop, granted, but it's completely free, it gives you a lot of the basics, and it's available on any device with a web browser. View the full article

Britain does not have a populist problem. It has an unpopularist problemView the full article

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has long encouraged people to use their phones, whether through the forsaken Poke on Facebook or uploading Reels on Instagram. But the company’s newest idea for how and when to take out your phone might be too big an ask for some cinema lovers: Meta wants people to use their phones in movie theaters, specifically for its chatbot Movie Mate. The chatbot, which Meta has reportedly claimed will “get audiences back in theaters,” works by sending moviegoers trivia, quips, and questions about the movie, according to the New York Times. The catch? All of this happens while the film plays in front of them. Fast Company has reached out to Meta for comment and more details, but we did not immediately hear back. On Wednesday, Movie Mate was tested in select theaters through a partnership with Blumhouse, a production company. Blumhouse screened the horror movie M3GAN as part of its Halfway to Halloween event, and Movie Mate took on the title character’s persona. This might be a good time to remind everyone that M3GAN centers on an AI-powered robot that turns hostile. As reported by NYT, about 70 people attended a screening at an AMC theater in Los Angeles. Before the movie began, a Blumhouse representative told the crowd, “I know this sounds weird, but please take out your phones.” She briefed the crowd on how to use Movie Mate, and then the movie began alongside the glow of screens—imagine describing that to horror’s own Alfred Hitchcock. Blumhouse wasn’t immediately available to comment. Mixed reactions Regal Cineworld joined AMC Entertainment as a testing ground for Movie Mate, though both were adamant that customers had to know what they were getting into before they bought tickets. Other chains, like Alamo Drafthouse, participated in the M3GAN rerelease but kept screens limited to the one in front, as Variety reported. Hollywood could definitely use help in getting people back into theaters. As Box Office Mojo data shows, domestic grosses still haven’t come close to returning to pre-pandemic levels. U.S. ticket sales hit $8.6 billion last year, compared to more than $11 billion in 2019. However, moviegoers apparently have mixed feelings about using their phones during showings. The New York Times noted that one woman initially thought, “This is really cool,” but soon felt uncomfortable taking her phone out, reading most of the messages after the movie ended. A Variety editor who attended a screening found the chatbot unable to converse, out of sync with the movie, and mostly ignored by others in the theater. He summed Movie Mate up in two words: “epic fail.” View the full article

Welcome to Remote Real Talk, our monthly Q&A series where we share honest, thoughtful conversations with members of the Remotive community who are building meaningful careers in remote work. This time, I had the chance to speak with Andrew Gobran, Senior People Business Partner at Doist and a longtime member of the Remotive community. Andrew’s thoughtful approach to people-first practices, intentional career choices, and remote hiring gave me a lot to think about, and I hope it will for you, too. Below are six highlights from our conversation, lightly edited for clarity and readability. 🧭 What made you want to join Doist?I have many reasons! I wanted to work for a company that was mission-driven, valued people, and saw success as more than just financial metrics. I also wanted to be in a smaller company where I could wear many hats, learn as I go, and see my impact tangibly. Doist checked all those boxes—and as a longtime Todoist user, I was already a believer in the product. Ironically, I wasn’t specifically looking for a remote job when I was applying in 2017, but it turned out to be a happy accident that I landed in the world of remote work. 🔍 What’s a common mistake remote job seekers make when applying for roles?A common mistake remote job seekers make is overemphasizing their desire for remote work rather than focusing on their fit for the actual role. While flexibility is a major perk, companies are hiring for skills and impact, not just a preference for remote work. Candidates who lead with why they want to work remotely instead of why they’re the best fit for the role risk presenting a weaker case for their qualifications. My advice is to approach it as a job that happens to be remote, rather than a remote job. Focus on demonstrating how your skills, experience, and working style align with the role and company culture. ✨ What’s the best way to stand out in a remote job application process?The best way to stand out is to be clear on what you’re looking for, demonstrate the impact you’ve had in previous roles and can have in the role you’re applying for, and demonstrate your alignment with the company’s mission, values, and culture. 🧠 If you were job-seeking today, what would be your top three non-negotiables for a remote role?Assuming I already identify with the mission and values of the company, my top three non-negotiables would be: A culture of honest, transparent communication—especially from leadership. I look for teams where it’s safe to speak openly, where people acknowledge when things aren’t working, and where the “why” behind decisions is consistently shared.Productivity measured by outcomes, not hours. I’m most motivated in environments that value impact over presence.An asynchronous-first culture that supports flexibility and deep work.🌀 How has a service mindset shaped your career decisions?I’ve always been someone who needs intrinsic motivation to stay engaged. While external motivators like money or status can play a role, I’ve found they don’t sustain me long-term. Service, on the other hand, is a value that was instilled in me from a young age, so it’s shaped how I approach work and life. Framing my career through the lens of service has helped me find purpose in what I do. It’s pushed me to be intentional about the kinds of opportunities I pursue—specifically seeking out roles where the mission and values are core to the work, not just lip service. On a more practical level, being service-oriented helps bring meaning to even the most mundane or challenging tasks. Focusing on who I’m supporting shifts my mindset and helps me stay grounded in the bigger picture. 🔎 What’s your advice for job seekers trying to find a fully remote job today? Any key strategies that worked in the past but don’t work as well now?The best advice I can offer is to be intentional about the kind of remote work you’re looking for so you can work smarter, not harder, in your job search. Many candidates approach their search by applying to any remote job they find, without considering that remote can mean very different things depending on the company. For example, one company may expect employees to work set hours within a specific time zone, while another may offer full flexibility with an asynchronous work culture. Both are technically remote, but the day-to-day experience will be vastly different. A key strategy is to research a company’s remote work culture before applying. Look for details in the job description, company website, or employee reviews that indicate how work is structured—things like core working hours, communication norms, and expectations around availability. This will help you target roles that truly align with your ideal way of working, making your applications stronger and increasing your chances of success. 🌍 Why This ResonatedAndrew’s responses are a great reminder that remote work isn’t just about location: it’s about how and why we work. His clarity around values, mission, and culture is something I think many job seekers— and companies — can learn from. You can connect with Andrew on LinkedIn. This conversation originally appeared in the Remotive Slack community. To join us and get future Q&As early, check out Remotive Accelerator and become part of our growing community of remote job seekers, builders, and believers. View the full article

Japan’s massive holdings of U.S. Treasurys can be “a card on the table” in negotiations over tariffs with the The President administration, Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato said Friday. “It does exist as a card, but I think whether we choose to use it or not would be a separate decision,” Kato said during a news show on national broadcaster TV Tokyo. Kato did not elaborate and he did not say Japan would step up sales of its holdings of U.S. government bonds as part of its talks over President Donald The President’s tariffs on exports from Japan. Earlier, Japanese officials including Kato had ruled out such an option. Japan is the largest foreign holder of U.S. government debt, at $1.13 trillion as of late February. China, also at odds with the The President administration over trade and tariffs, is the second largest foreign investor in Treasurys. Kato stressed that various factors would be on the negotiating table with The President, implying that a promise not to sell Treasurys could help coax Washington into an agreement favorable for Japan. The President has disrupted decades of American trade policies, including with key security allies like Japan, by imposing big import taxes, or tariffs, on a wide range of products. A team of Japanese officials was in Washington this week for talks on the tariffs. The U.S. is due to soon begin imposing a 25% tariff on imported vehicles and auto parts, as well as an overall 10% baseline tariff. The bigger tariffs will hurt at a time when Japanese economic growth is weakening. Asian holdings of Treasurys have remained relatively steady in recent years, according to the most recent figures. But some analysts worry China or other governments could liquidate their U.S. Treasury holdings as trade tensions escalate. U.S. government bonds are traditionally viewed as a safe financial asset, and recent spikes in yields of those bonds have raised worries that they might be losing that status due to The President’s tariff policies. —Yuri Kageyama, AP business writer View the full article

The tool's launch comes as various sources report growth in both serious borrower delinquencies and foreclosure activity over the first few months of 2025. View the full article

If you're a Switch fan, you might know that Nintendo dropped a pretty significant update this week. Version 20.0.0 introduced a number of new features and changes for Nintendo's consoles, including virtual game cards and GameShare, and set the stage for the launch of the Switch 2. However, the update brought with it something Nintendo did not intend: instability. It turns out that after updating to version 20.0.0, some Switch users ran into error codes when booting up their consoles—specifically, Error Code: 2206-1015, which caused some Switches to crash. While it doesn't appear to be affecting most Switches, the problem was bad enough for Nintendo to acknowledge it via their customer support page on X. In the post, the company apologizes for the issue, and reports they are looking into the problem. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. It didn't take long for them to find a solution: Nintendo acknowledged the issue on Thursday, May 1, before rolling out a new update on Friday, May 2. According to the release notes, this update, version 20.0.1, fixes one problem: the issue with Error Code: 2206-1015. If you're installing this update, don't expect to see anything new from version 20.0.0—minus, of course, any error codes. How to update your Switch if it is unresponsiveThe issue, however, is if you have an affected Switch, you might not be able to update it normally. (That's the tricky thing about bugs that cause your system to crash.) Luckily, Nintendo has a solution: update your Switch in Maintenance Mode. To do so, follow these steps: Make sure the Switch is totally powered off by pressing down on the power button for 12 seconds. Hold the volume up and volume down buttons, then press the power button to turn the system on. Do not let go of the volume buttons until your see the Maintenance Mode menu. Once you see the Maintenance Mode menu, choose Update System, then follow the on-screen instructions to update. View the full article

Wix has announced a partnership with ActiveCampaign, a leading marketing automation platform, to offer an integrated solution for businesses of all sizes, including franchises and multi-location brands. The collaboration aims to streamline customer engagement, marketing automation, and website management through a unified platform. According to Wix, the partnership combines its website management capabilities with ActiveCampaign’s advanced marketing tools, enabling businesses to oversee customer journeys from front-end website interactions to back-office operations. The integration allows for seamless data synchronization between Wix websites and ActiveCampaign accounts, simplifying operations and enhancing customer engagement. Key Features of the Integration The newly introduced solution offers several core features: Streamlined Data Integration: Data is seamlessly synced across both platforms, allowing businesses to better manage customer interactions and marketing efforts. Scalable Marketing Automation: Businesses can create, distribute, and automate highly personalized marketing campaigns by leveraging customer insights, such as form submissions, product purchases, and other behaviors tracked on Wix sites and landing pages. Comprehensive Centralized Reporting: Businesses gain a holistic view of performance across their networks, with insights into customer engagement, sales conversions, and marketing campaign effectiveness. Enhanced Multi-Location Management: Franchises and multi-location businesses can manage marketing automation, customer engagement, and website operations across multiple brands and locations using ActiveCampaign HQ, maintaining brand consistency at both corporate and local levels. “Whether managing a single site or hundreds of locations, Wix and ActiveCampaign provide an intuitive, scalable solution that simplifies workflows and businesses to focus on growth,” said David Schwartz, VP of Product at Wix. “With this partnership, businesses can qualify and nurture leads seamlessly, personalize sales and marketing efforts using engagement metrics, and enhance operational efficiency by automating repetitive tasks. This solution will ultimately empower businesses of all sizes to manage their brand holistically—driving growth, profitability, and customer loyalty.” Shay Howe, Chief Strategy Officer at ActiveCampaign, added, “Today’s businesses need streamlined solutions that enable them to scale without adding complexity. By combining Wix’s powerful website platform with ActiveCampaign’s marketing automation, we’re giving businesses of all sizes—especially franchises and multi-location brands—the tools they need to personalize customer experiences, automate engagement, and drive measurable growth.” The integration is now available for Wix users who have an ActiveCampaign account. This article, "Wix Partners with ActiveCampaign to Expand Customer Engagement and Marketing Automation" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Wix has announced a partnership with ActiveCampaign, a leading marketing automation platform, to offer an integrated solution for businesses of all sizes, including franchises and multi-location brands. The collaboration aims to streamline customer engagement, marketing automation, and website management through a unified platform. According to Wix, the partnership combines its website management capabilities with ActiveCampaign’s advanced marketing tools, enabling businesses to oversee customer journeys from front-end website interactions to back-office operations. The integration allows for seamless data synchronization between Wix websites and ActiveCampaign accounts, simplifying operations and enhancing customer engagement. Key Features of the Integration The newly introduced solution offers several core features: Streamlined Data Integration: Data is seamlessly synced across both platforms, allowing businesses to better manage customer interactions and marketing efforts. Scalable Marketing Automation: Businesses can create, distribute, and automate highly personalized marketing campaigns by leveraging customer insights, such as form submissions, product purchases, and other behaviors tracked on Wix sites and landing pages. Comprehensive Centralized Reporting: Businesses gain a holistic view of performance across their networks, with insights into customer engagement, sales conversions, and marketing campaign effectiveness. Enhanced Multi-Location Management: Franchises and multi-location businesses can manage marketing automation, customer engagement, and website operations across multiple brands and locations using ActiveCampaign HQ, maintaining brand consistency at both corporate and local levels. “Whether managing a single site or hundreds of locations, Wix and ActiveCampaign provide an intuitive, scalable solution that simplifies workflows and businesses to focus on growth,” said David Schwartz, VP of Product at Wix. “With this partnership, businesses can qualify and nurture leads seamlessly, personalize sales and marketing efforts using engagement metrics, and enhance operational efficiency by automating repetitive tasks. This solution will ultimately empower businesses of all sizes to manage their brand holistically—driving growth, profitability, and customer loyalty.” Shay Howe, Chief Strategy Officer at ActiveCampaign, added, “Today’s businesses need streamlined solutions that enable them to scale without adding complexity. By combining Wix’s powerful website platform with ActiveCampaign’s marketing automation, we’re giving businesses of all sizes—especially franchises and multi-location brands—the tools they need to personalize customer experiences, automate engagement, and drive measurable growth.” The integration is now available for Wix users who have an ActiveCampaign account. This article, "Wix Partners with ActiveCampaign to Expand Customer Engagement and Marketing Automation" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Are you guilty of overusing the monkey covering its eyes emoji? Do you find it impossible to send a text without tacking on a laughing-crying face? Much like choosing between a full stop or an “x” at the end of a message, emojis have become their own form of language—complete with unspoken rules and hidden meanings (we all know exactly what we’re implying with the eyes emoji or the eggplant). But beyond adding subtext or flirtatious nuance, your go-to emojis might reveal more about you than you realize. According to a new study published in Current Psychology by researchers at Oklahoma State University, your emoji habits could offer surprising insight into your underlying personality traits. The study surveyed 285 undergraduates, all around the age of 20, about their use of 40 different emojis. Participants also completed questionnaires designed to assess their personality traits. The researchers were particularly focused on what’s known as the Dark Triad: psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. The results showed that among men, frequent emoji use was associated with Machiavellian traits and higher levels of neuroticism. Women weren’t off the hook either: Heavy emoji use among female participants was linked to narcissistic tendencies. The researchers speculated that this connection between emoji use and the Dark Triad could be due to the way emojis are often used for self-promotion and image management—behaviors commonly tied to narcissism. Overall, women used both positive and negative emojis more frequently than men, whether in text messages, social media posts, or replies and comments. However, six emojis stood out as being used more often by men. You can probably guess a few of them (hint: yes, the pile of poo made the list). While previous studies have suggested that emojis are most often used by introverts, the Current Psychology says otherwise. For both men and women, extroverts emerged as the most frequent emoji users. So the next time you’re about to send a string of fire emojis, just be sure you’re not accidentally outing yourself as a Machiavellian narcissist in the process. View 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 along with the 9 Pro and Pro XL, while the budget Pixel 9a came out this April. If you're looking for the best value Pixel and arguably the best Google phone yet, according to Assistant Tech Editor Michelle Ehrhardt's review, get the 128 GB unlocked Pixel 9a for $499 with a $100 Amazon Gift Card. It's a great perk that comes along with a new Pixel already at a solid price. Google Pixel 9a $499.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $599.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $499.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $599.00 Save $100.00 The Pixel 9a comes with 8GB of RAM (which limits its AI features, but Gemini is still usable), starts with 128GB of memory storage, a maximum 120 HZ refresh rate, and the Android 14 operating system. There is no camera bar on its design anymore, which makes it look different from the other Pixels. The battery can go about 30 hours, depending on use, but keep in mind Google will reduce the battery life. It feels light, and the screen gets an upgrade compared to older budget models. Like the other budget a-series Pixels, you'll get a slightly weaker camera and chip, but they're still good enough for most people. Considering the price is $150 cheaper than the Pixel 9, it can make it a much better value for people who don't care about certain specs (especially with the extra $100 gift card from Amazon). You can see how it stacks up against the iPhone 16e here. 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 this March and other cool ones like controlling your GoPro with the Pixel. With the Pixel 9a, you'll be getting a quality phone with software updates for quite a while—as long as seven years. View the full article

Google Ads launched four new tools to help improve first-party data use and better measure app performance – especially in the face of evolving privacy standards and complex user journeys. Driving the news. Google today announced a slate of updates aimed at strengthening measurement and data capabilities: Google tag gateway for advertisers: A simplified way to upgrade tags so they serve from the advertiser’s own server, improving signal reliability and data control. Google plans to add confidential computing by default for enhanced security and transparency. New diagnostics for data quality: You can now access diagnostics across Google Ads products to troubleshoot first-party data setups, which power AI-driven performance models. On-device conversion measurement using event data: Expanded to include deidentified app event data for iOS campaigns. Aims to improve optimization and reporting while maintaining user privacy protections. Integrated conversion measurement: Combines with the above to offer real-time, comprehensive performance insights via third-party App Attribution Partners – enabling faster, smarter campaign decisions. Why we care. With user privacy expectations rising, advertisers need more resilient, privacy-safe ways to track performance and optimize campaigns, especially on iOS and mobile apps. With enhanced diagnostics, server-side tagging, and more accurate app conversion tracking, you should be able to make smarter decisions, optimize spend, and maintain measurement resilience as industry changes accelerate. What to watch. How advertisers adopt server-side tagging and on-device measurement to future-proof their strategies amid iOS limitations and increased scrutiny on data practices. View the full article

It’s a little past 10 a.m. and the heat is already blazing on the outskirts of the Western Indian city of Ahmedabad. Sapnaben Chunara, a 30-year-old mother of three, has just finished her morning chores. She seeks respite from the heat in the shade of a neem tree, a species that can withstand high temperatures and drought. Chunara spends most of the day outdoors in Vanzara Vas, a low-income neighborhood of about 800 families, because her tin-roofed house is even hotter. Indoor temperatures can be even higher, especially when outside they climb above 40 degrees Celsius (104 F). That was once rare but now happens regularly. And this year, high heat started three weeks earlier than in previous years, touching 43 degrees Celsius (109.40 F) in early April. “Sometimes it gets so hot, I can’t think straight,” said Chunara, sporting a black smartwatch that contrasts sharply with her colorful bangles and sari. Chunara is one of 204 residents of Vanzara Vas given the smartwatches for a year-long study to find out how heat affects vulnerable communities around the world. The watches measure heart rate and pulse and track sleep, and participants get weekly blood pressure checks. Researchers also painted some roofs with reflective paint to reduce indoor heat and will compare them to homes without so-called cool roofs using indoor heat sensors. Along with the smartwatches, this will help them understand how much cool roofs can help poor households deal with India’s scorching summers. Chunara, whose home didn’t get a cool roof, said she’s happy to participate by wearing the watch, confident the results will help her family, too. “They might paint my roof as well and they might be able to do something that helps all of us in this area cope with the heat better,” Chunara said. Killer heat is the new normal Cities like Ahmedabad have always had hot summers, but now they’re nearing the threshold beyond which exposure for more than a few hours can be fatal. In the summer of 2010, the city witnessed nearly 1,300 excess deaths — how many more people died than would be expected — which experts found were most likely due to high temperatures. An increasingly hot planet, due largely to burning fossil fuels such as coal and gas that release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, means already hot regions are getting even worse. A 2023 study estimated that if the global mean temperature continues to rise to just under 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), there would be a 370% rise in heat-related deaths around the world and most would happen in South and Southeast Asia and Africa. “This is a big concern, and it also shows the heat divide” between the poor and wealthy, said Abhiyant Tiwari, a climate expert with NRDC India and part of the group conducting the research in Ahmedabad. Following the 2010 tragedy, city officials, with help from public health and heat experts, devised an action plan to warn citizens when the heat is at dangerous levels and prepare city hospitals to respond rapidly to heat-related illness. The plan has been replicated across India and other parts of South Asia. The last two years have been the world’s hottest ever, and researchers hope their work can provide an additional line of defense for those who bear the brunt of increasing heat. Finding solutions to deal with heat The Ahmedabad study is only one part of a global research project examining how heat is affecting poor, vulnerable communities in four cities across the world. Researchers also are measuring heat impacts using smartwatches and other devices in Africa’s Burkina Faso, the Pacific island of Niue near New Zealand and in the Sonoran desert region in Mexico. More than 1.1 billion people — about one-eighth of the world’s population — live in informal settlements and poor neighborhoods that are particularly vulnerable, said Aditi Bunker, environmental health researcher associated with the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and Heidelberg University, Germany, who is leading the global project. “Climate change and heat are ravaging populations. And now the question comes, what are we doing to address this?” she said, referring to the motivation behind the research. In Ahmedabad, Bunker, along with researchers at the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, is constantly collecting relevant health data. If they find that cool roofs effectively reduce indoor heat, they plan to paint the roofs of all the homes. Researchers hope their study leads to more use of solutions like cool roofs for poor, vulnerable populations around the world — and that policymakers will factor in such solutions when deciding how their countries and communities can adapt to increasing heat exposure. For now, Vanzara Vas residents like Chunara and her neighbor, Shantaben Vanzara, said they will take any help they can get. Shantaben Vanzara said the heat has made her diabetes worse, but being part of the study has provided her family some respite. “We don’t get to sleep because of the heat,” she said. “After the roof got painted, we can sleep for a few hours a night at least.” Chunara said temperatures used to be predictable. “Now we don’t know when or what will happen,” she said. “The only thing that we know for sure is that the heat is getting worse every year.” This report has been edited to correct the name of NRDC India, previously incorrectly given as the Natural Resources Defense Council. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Sibi Arasu, Associated Press View the full article