ResidentialBusiness

The big Google review count bug, that we first reported on Friday and that later Google confirmed on Monday afternoon, is now being fixed. We can now see review counts climbing again and many small business owners and local SEOs are reporting improvements.View the full article

The White House’s recent decision to grant press credentials to independent journalists, podcasters, and social media influencers marks a defining moment in the evolution of modern media. It acknowledges a reality that has been unfolding for years: How people consume information has fundamentally changed. For years, traditional media outlets have been the primary gatekeepers of news and information. Today, the landscape is fragmented, dynamic, and decentralized. Millions of people now turn to independent content creators, newsletters, and podcasts—often in place of mainstream news sources. This shift raises essential opportunities and challenges for companies and executives navigating today’s complex media environment. It’s no longer enough to focus solely on securing a headline in The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times. Brands must now consider a broader media strategy that embraces both traditional outlets and the increasingly influential world of digital-first journalism. But with this new ecosystem comes a critical question: What does credibility look like in a fractured media landscape? The new credibility equation For decades, legacy news organizations have been built on a foundation of editorial rigor, fact-checking, and accountability. Their reputations were shaped by rigorous journalistic standards and the trust they cultivated over time. Meanwhile, digital-native journalists and independent voices have built influence through transparency, authenticity, and direct engagement with their audiences. These two worlds—traditional journalism and the creator-driven media ecosystem—are now colliding. The rise of Substack writers with niche but highly engaged followings, YouTubers who command audiences in the millions, and podcasters shaping public discourse means companies must rethink their media approach. This shift makes it more critical than ever to scrutinize who is shaping the narrative and how companies engage with them. The days of assuming that credibility is tied only to newsroom mastheads are over. Today, credibility is about trust—and trust is built differently across different platforms. Traditional media still matters—but it’s not enough Despite the rapid changes in how people consume information, traditional media remains critical—and for good reason. Legacy outlets’ journalistic rigor, editorial accountability, and broad reach continue to make them essential players in shaping public perception. However, traditional media is under immense pressure. Shrinking newsrooms, declining ad revenue, and increased financial strain have led to fewer reporters covering more topics with less time. Many once-dominant outlets have had to pivot toward subscription models or lean into digital strategies just to survive. This means fewer opportunities for companies to secure high-impact, in-depth coverage from traditional newsrooms. In this environment, relying solely on traditional media is no longer viable. Companies must balance traditional earned media with owned content and engagement with non-traditional outlets. Those who do will be in the strongest position to shape and control their narratives. What this means for strategic communications As strategic communicators, our role is not just to secure media coverage—it’s to ensure the right message reaches the right audience through the right medium and with the right voices. This means taking a more nuanced approach in a world where influence is distributed across a diverse range of platforms. Here’s how companies should be thinking about media strategy in this new era: 1. Expand your definition of media The traditional definition of “earned media” has changed. Companies must now balance legacy media’s historical rigor with independent voices’ growing influence. That means evaluating a broader range of outlets, from traditional newspapers to influential newsletters, YouTube channels, and LinkedIn thought leaders. Reaching audiences effectively requires meeting them where they are. For younger generations, that might mean TikTok explainers or long-form podcasts rather than a story in a top-tier news outlet. To reach more specific B2B audiences, it could mean a niche Substack written by an insider rather than a mainstream business publication. Companies that fail to expand their media strategy risk missing out on key audiences who no longer consume information in traditional ways. 2. Prioritize journalistic integrity—vetting matters While the range of credible media voices has expanded, the core principles of credibility remain the same. Companies must vet every media opportunity—whether it’s an interview with a top-tier publication, a widely followed YouTuber, or an independent podcaster. The key questions to ask: What is their reputation for accuracy and fairness? How do they engage with their audience? Do they have a history of sensationalism or misinformation? Credibility should not be sacrificed for reach. While a viral podcast might attract an attractive audience, if it lacks journalistic integrity, the long-term reputational risks outweigh the short-term exposure. 3. Own your narrative through direct storytelling With more voices shaping the public conversation, companies must take greater control of their messaging. That means investing in owned media channels—blogs, newsletters, corporate podcasts, and executive platforms—to provide direct, unfiltered context. A strong owned media strategy allows companies to: Reinforce key messages consistently Provide additional context to paint the whole picture Build direct relationships with key audiences Executives who consistently engage on LinkedIn, for example—sharing insights, reactions to news, and original analysis—are positioning themselves as trusted sources in their industries. In doing so, they’re not just relying on traditional media to tell their story—they’re actively shaping it. The future of media engagement The evolution of media is exciting and complex. In the years ahead, the companies that embrace this shift rather than resist it will shape the narrative. This new landscape offers unprecedented opportunities to connect with audiences more directly and meaningfully. However, it also demands a new level of discernment, strategic thinking, and adaptability. Companies must now balance the credibility and rigor of traditional media with the authenticity and engagement of independent voices while strengthening their channels for direct storytelling. Those who can do this effectively will not only navigate the new media world but also help define it. Tyler Perry is co-CEO of Mission North. View the full article

Cross-party committee warns agency is not ‘sufficiently curious’ about scale of illegal practiceView the full article

Higher rates and economic fears persuade retirees to opt for guaranteed incomesView the full article

Diversity initiatives, often called DEI, are in the political and business crosshairs. In recent weeks, Meta, Walmart, Target, Ford, and McDonald’s are among global companies ending their formal DEI initiatives. Some of the bluster is performative. And yet, for many employees and global firms, there’s a sense that this is an opportunity to rebalance the goals and rethink the strategy by innovating diversity practices to better meet the global business goals. Most DEI programs were crafted years ago, and their relevance and impact has been diminishing. Many initiatives overreached and have not adequately evolved to meet the changing environment. Like with any business process, companies need to innovate their approach to global diversity initiatives. There’s no doubt international companies recognize the value of having varied perspectives, experiences, and skills in all areas of their business. The global firms we work with know that having different voices and perspectives is essential to enhancing how teams function. It improves processes, productivity, and innovation. Companies are able to better understand their global customers’ needs and expectations, ultimately leading to increased profitability. The focus is then on how to ensure that there are diverse perspectives at every stage of a business process. Diversity is defined different ways A core element of our work focuses on applying social sciences, including cultural anthropology, to understand how local factors impact how companies achieve their business objectives. This is distinctly different from diversity initiatives, which are more focused on getting everyone to follow one standardized playbook for engagement, not necessarily prioritizing business goals. In the DEI playbook, there is only one accepted definition of diversity, when in reality diversity’s definition differs across cultures. In the U.S., U.K., and Canada, for example, there’s a tendency to focus on visible characteristics given the countries’ multicultural demographics. American companies have tried to export this version of DEI, but it does not work in every culture. The way American firms approach diversity has been stuck at the visible characteristics phase. In other countries, invisible characteristics like region, rural/urban setting, income, education, religion, tribe, caste, etc. can be more relevant, impacting how people communicate, interact, operate, and manage. It’s essential to recognize that people who look different can actually think alike. And people who look alike can think differently. We already know that having people of different socioeconomic backgrounds provides more varied perspectives that can impact business objectives and innovation. For example, diversity of educational backgrounds means that companies are increasingly recognizing that they need to recruit from a wider range of colleges and universities around the world. Rethink diversity It’s time to innovate by rethinking and expanding how we talk about diversity, making sure that it’s globally relevant for all stakeholders. And in this current environment, we have a unique opportunity to innovate diversity initiatives to meet the evolving needs of employees and customers worldwide. To be effective, it’s essential to integrate cultural nuances and localize any global strategies, including diversity initiatives, to achieve business objectives. There are key points to keep in mind as global firms integrate varied perspectives, voices, and roles into their business operations and processes. First, the current DEI concept is heavily influenced by American perspectives and values and it may not translate to local cultures. Focusing on shared values and business objectives, our cultural framework uses a methodology integrating social sciences and business. Companies should focus on how to improve their stakeholder engagement—with employees, customers, and partners—to achieve business goals. Diversity as the end goal is insufficient. It has to integrate into how people communicate, interact, and manage. Integrating cultural frameworks helps focus companies on making sure their teams work more effectively across cultures to better achieve business goals. For example, global hospitality and travel firms we work with recognize that global customer engagement teams with varied experiences result in better overall customer experience and satisfaction metrics, including higher NPS (Net Promoter Score) and improved profitability. What are the company’s goals, and how can everyone collectively work together toward those goals? Starting with that premise enables teams to focus on how to communicate and interact more effectively across cultures, engaging local teams to better understand the opportunities and challenges for getting all team members involved. Share perspectives Second, ensure that everyone throughout your organization can provide their perspective wherever relevant and useful. Ensure that virtual and in-person teams are cognizant of local cultural communications patterns so all ideas and perspectives are shared. For example, our cultural framework integrates a number of cultural factors to compare and contrast cultures. Individualistic versus collective. It’s not surprising that on a comparative basis, the U.S. is the most individualistic culture in the world. American business metrics tend to reward and advocate for the individual. In contrast, Asian, Middle Eastern, African, and Latin American cultures value group goals and teamwork more. So, any diversity and business initiative that focuses on the individual ahead of the group may not work locally. It’s more valued to be respectful of the group dynamics. For example, throughout Asia, the focus is on the collective good. Highlighting individual differences—visible or invisible—is considered a negative. People from diverse backgrounds and cultures communicate differently. A fundamental concept is verbal and nonverbal communications (high-low context). People who expect direct communications and clear verbal directness—e.g., in the U.S.—will miss nonverbal cues from colleagues who are accustomed to reading the context, such as in East Asia. Add in hierarchical cultural value, where junior team members are less likely to speak up in the presence of respected senior team members. Other factors can complicate communications and team dynamics including invisible characteristics such as local income, education, caste, tribe, etc. These are simple examples of invisible characteristics, but they illustrate that companies need to be clear about diversity goal efforts. Diversity for the sake of diversity may not be as successful across cultures, but diversity as a way to achieve shared corporate values and goals is more likely to resonate. When developing a diversity program, be careful not to tell people how to be diverse but rather provide a conversation forum. We need to innovate how we view diversity, integrate invisible characteristics across cultures, and focus on shared purpose and business goals. In the long run, our goal should be to infuse diversity in every business process and team rather than a separate business unit. It will become ubiquitous. Sanjyot P. Dunung is founder and CEO of Atma Global. View the full article

The cost of Valentine’s Day may be a lot higher this year compared to last year. You’ve probably heard the price of eggs has skyrocketed, but if you haven’t already started shopping for your Valentine, be prepared for some sticker shock, especially for perennial favorites like roses and chocolates. Here’s why. How much will I pay for roses this year? Depending on where you live, you might be paying a hefty price. This Valentine’s Day, the average price for a dozen long-stemmed roses (red or white) is a staggering $90.50, 2% more than last year, according to FinanceBuzz as reported by CBS News. Yet a 2% hike would be getting off easy, considering that if you live in Hawaii, you’ll have to shell out $143 for that same dozen, which is 58% more expensive than the national average. Wondering where the best bargain can be found? It’s California, where you’ll pay an average of $68 for a dozen roses, compared to $110 in Texas (where the cost of living is on average much cheaper than in California). Another reason for the hefty price tag on bouquets? Inflation over multiple years. The average price went up from $80.16 in 2023 to $88.61 last year. Here are the states where roses are most expensive these days, rounded to the nearest dollar based on data from FinanceBuzz: Hawaii: $143 per dozen Texas: $110 per dozen Washington: $107 per dozen Montana: $105 per dozen Kentucky: $102 per dozen Wyoming: $102 per dozen Ohio: $102 per dozen South Carolina: $102 per dozen Kansas: $100 per dozen Iowa: $99 per dozen While erratic weather patterns can also play a role in flower production and prices, this year’s prices are mostly a result of, and in line with, inflation, as supplies remain high. In fact, some 940 million cut flower stems have already arrived in the U.S. for the holiday via Miami International Airport, mostly from Colombia and Ecuador, according to ABC News. Around 90% of holiday flowers sold in the U.S. from around the world transit through Miami, with the other 10% transiting through Los Angeles before they are distributed to stores around the country, according to ABC. What about chocolate prices? Alas, sweets for your sweet will cost you more this year, too. With the price of cocoa more than double what it was at the start of 2024, expect to pay 10% to 20% more for a box of chocolates this Valentine’s Day, according to a Wells Fargo analyst, as reported by CNN. The reason? Like eggs, cocoa production has been hit with supply chain issues stemming from COVID-19, inflation, and the weather. In West Africa, which produces 70% of the globe’s cocoa supply, extreme weather events, including El Niño, have raised temperatures in the region, created both drought conditions and flooding that led to fungus on the crops. As a result, growers have been producing fewer crops, which means fewer cocoa beans. At the time of this writing (midday on Tuesday), cocoa was trading at $10,103.13 per metric ton, up 72% in the first few months of 2025, but still down from its December high. View the full article

In the aftermath of Trump’s executive orders targeting DEI, leading companies across corporate America have been reevaluating their diversity programs. Disney is now joining the ranks of major employers that are shifting their DEI efforts, according to a memo obtained by Axios. One of the major changes will be how diversity goals correlate with executive compensation, which has become a common practice at many large companies. Disney will now consider “talent strategy” rather than “diversity and inclusion” as a factor in executive compensation, though that will still include elements of DEI—a shift that seems more like a reframing, rather than an outright rejection of DEI practices. Disney is also changing the name of its affinity groups from “Business Employee Resource Groups” to “Belonging Employee Resource Groups,” to underscore how ERGs are a crucial part of “strengthening our employee community and workplace experience,” per the memo. It’s not entirely clear what the rebrand means for ERGs, though unlike some other companies (i.e. Ford), Disney does not seem to be restructuring those groups to focus on professional interests rather than shared identity. (The company did not respond to a request for comment and clarification on its ERG strategy.) In addition, Disney is also making content-related changes to the language of its disclaimers and the Reimagine Tomorrow initiative, which has highlighted stories from underrepresented communities. Also, unlike other companies, Disney does not appear to be disbanding its DEI team altogether or completely eliminating its diversity initiatives. Most of the changes outlined in the memo seem intended to move away from the traditional language of diversity programs—perhaps to address any legal risk—but Disney is still using terms like “belonging” that have long been a part of DEI parlance. In fact, the company still seemed to express its support for DEI values in the memo—without using the term itself. “Creating a welcoming and respectful environment for our employees and guests is core to our company culture and our business,” human resources chief Sonia Coleman wrote. “Our values—integrity, creativity, collaboration, community, inclusion—guide our actions and how we treat each other.” View the full article

Chancellor’s headroom against her key budget rule has been wiped out, according to preliminary forecasts by watchdogView the full article

Plaintiffs alleging the lender manipulated home valuations ten years prior argued the interpretation of the rule cited in determining the case's standing was a stretch. View the full article

Shares of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) rose 8% on Tuesday after Vice President JD Vance said that the U.S. will safeguard American artificial intelligence and chip technologies from “theft and misuse” by its “adversaries,” making a veiled reference to China. (The stock closed up by just over 6%.) “We will . . . work with our allies and partners to strengthen and extend these protections and close pathways to adversaries attaining AI capabilities that threaten all of our people,” Vance said in address at France’s AI Action Summit in Paris. “Some authoritarian regimes have stolen and used AI to strengthen their military intelligence and surveillance capabilities, capture foreign data, and create propaganda to undermine other nations’ national security.” China’s chipmaking and AI technologies have been front and center at the Paris talks, with a focus on China’s DeepSeek, a reasoning AI model believed to now rival U.S.-based OpenAI’s GPT-o1 technology, but at a much lower cost. Intel is currently trying to turn around its business after the chip-manufacturing giant’s shares lost 59.60% last year. The stock is down 4.2% year to date. The question on the street remains whether Intel can get back its chipmaking edge. Help from the Trump administration could do just that. Once the largest semiconductor company in the world, Intel has lost market share in the past few years to rivals Nvidia and Broadcom after making a number of missteps, including missing out on the generative artificial intelligence boom. It eventually lost its spot in the Dow Jones Industrial Average to Nvidia. Intel is now rebuilding its business, having cut 15% of its staff as part of a $10 billion plan to reduce costs this past summer. More recently, Intel’s fourth-quarter earnings beat estimates, driving shares up 3% in after-hours trading, although it issued disappointing guidance ahead. Meanwhile, shares of Nvidia and Broadcom stayed relatively flat today, down 0.22% and up 0.89%, respectively. View the full article

In the Northern Hemisphere, February is the middle of winter. According to NASA, this is why Native American tribes named this month’s full moon the Snow Moon. Historically, the shortest month of the year was also the coldest because of the heavy snowfall that occurred. Another name for this lunar display of grandeur is the Hunger Moon. That name also makes historical sense because of how the snowiest month made hunting and gathering more difficult. If you didn’t plan ahead properly, your stomach was bound to rumble. Let’s take a deeper look at the winter of it all, and when to best peep up at the night sky for optimal full moon viewing. When exactly is the middle of winter? Many people believe that Groundhog Day marks the middle of winter. It’s a close approximation, but not always 100% accurate. If you want to get technical, according to the Farmer’s Almanac, the middle of winter varies from year to year. Groundhog Day always falls on February 2, and this year, the following day was actually the halfway mark between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Winter takes the prize for both the coldest and shortest season of the year. It lasts 88.99 days on average. Its brevity is due to perihelion, the point in the Earth’s orbit that it is closest to the sun. The cold is caused by Earth’s axial tilt, or obliquity. In the Northern Hemisphere, from December to February, the earth is tilted away from the sun, which means less direct sunshine and chillier days. The tilt overrides the nearness of the sun. What’s a groundhog got to do with it? Groundhog Day was created by German-speaking immigrants in the United States, who became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch because of a misinterpretation of the word “Deutsch.” It was based on the Christian tradition of Candlemas, a feast celebrating the day that Jesus was presented at Temple by Joseph and Mary. The early Christian church incorporated pagan traditions into its calendar. For Candlemas, one of these was weather-predicting folklore. In Germany, a bear or badger was used, but in the United States, groundhogs took center stage. The best known groundhog these days is Punxsutawney Phil, who calls Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania home. This year, he predicted six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow. How to see the full snow moon In parts of the country, such as the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, snow storms may prevent one from catching the snow moon. Talk about irony. The rest of the country will also experience cloudy skies amid potential rainstorms. If you want to try your luck, according to EarthSky, the full moon will reach peak illumination on Wednesday morning (February 12) at 8:53 a.m. ET. The celestial orb will also appear full Thursday and Friday. View the full article

Wireless earbuds are great, but they can be pretty same-y from one brand to the next. Most adopt the classic AirPods design language—small buds, usually with some sort of stem, all of which travel in a charging case. Each has its own list of pros and cons, of course, but the product category has certainly homogenized. The newly announced Powerbeats Pro 2 seem a bit different, though. Of course, these new buds do all the things you'd expect from a pair of $250 headphones: They have active noise cancelling and transparency mode—the latter of which pumps in sounds from the world around you so you can hear what's going on with your earbuds in. They're IPX4 sweat- and water-resistant, and have a respectable 45-hour battery life when you consider the extra boost from the charging case. But they look different than other earbuds, thanks to the buds' "earhooks." (I'd argue the Electric Orange color also helps in this department.) If you find that traditional wireless earbuds tend to fall out of your ears, the hooks in the Powerbeats Pro 2 (carried over from the original Powerbeats Pro) might offer some extra support. But, then again, if you're used to the feeling of traditional earbuds, the extra pressure from the earhook could be different. I'd recommend trying both types of earbuds on if you're unsure. But, either way, the visual differences definitely make the Powerbeats Pro 2 stand out. Powerbeats Pro 2 can track your heart rateWhat caught my attention, however, was the built-in heart rate monitor. These sensors sit on the side of each earbud and track your heart rate through your ear. It's like having a little Apple Watch in each of your ears—which is a little weird, but also really cool. They're not the first earbuds to do this: As CNET's David Carnoy pointed out, Sennheiser's Momentum Sport Earbuds came with similar sensors. Those heart rate monitors were fairly accurate in Carnoy's experience, as are the ones on the Powerbeats Pro 2. Beats says that the heart rate monitors in its new buds work across a number of platforms, including Apple, Android, and other Bluetooth-enabled fitness equipment. However, it's worth noting that if you use the Powerbeats Pro 2 with an Apple Watch, the Health app on your iPhone will pull from the watch rather than your earbuds. You'll have to take off your Apple Watch or disable the heart tracker on the watch if you want to rely on the heart rate monitors on your Powerbeats. If you don't like the earhooks on the Powerbeats Pro 2, or you're just a dedicated AirPods fan, don't worry: This tech is coming to Apple's flagship earbuds as well—just not immediately. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, these new AirPods are "still many months away," so the Powerbeats Pro 2 will remain the only Apple-produced earbud with heart rate tracking for a bit longer. Other Powerbeats Pro 2 perksWhile Powerbeats work with many platforms, they're definitely designed for Apple's own ecosystem. If you have other Apple devices, your Powerbeats will switch between each device as you play an audio source, just like other Apple earbuds. There's also Personalized Spatial Audio, audio sharing (RIP headphone splitters), and hands-free Siri, if you like to ping the assistant while wearing your earbuds. The buds also have physical playback controls through the "b" button on each bud, as well as volume rockers on both. As someone who still uses a first-gen pair of AirPods Pro, physical controls embedded onto the buds is very tempting. In Carnoy's review for CNET, he found the Powerbeats Pro 2 to be quite similar to the AirPods Pro 2 in audio quality and noise cancellation performance, although he thought the AirPods had a more consistent performance overall. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are missing some AirPods Pro 2 features, such as Adaptive Audio, which automatically blocks out noises over a certain decibel, or Conversation Awareness, which lowers the volume when it detects you're talking to someone. View the full article

An apparent bug in Google's Sitelinks algorithm is showing links to unhelpful pages. The post Google Sitelinks Algorithm Bug Shows Wrong Links appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Meta underwent another big round of layoffs on Monday, cutting 3,600 jobs, or roughly 5%, of its total workforce. Between 2022 and 2023, the tech giant eliminated 21,000 positions, nearly a quarter of its workforce, and continued to reduce staff in 2024. But while those other recent reductions appeared driven by organizational restructuring and cost-cutting efforts, CEO Mark Zuckerberg seemed to tie this week’s layoffs to those he deemed “low performers.” “I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low performers faster,” Zuckerberg wrote in an internal memo when announcing the cuts in January. “We typically manage out people who aren’t meeting expectations over the course of a year, but now we’re going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle.” Some of the employees who have just been let go object to this characterization, though, and they are fighting back. Layoffs are increasingly common in tech, but they’re often framed as a failure of the company and its leaders rather than a reflection of individual employees. (Although Amazon famously culls its workforce based on performance metrics, and Microsoft reportedly has plans to do the same.) Given Meta’s public trumpeting of the “low-performer” criteria for this recent initiative, however, being swept up in this batch of layoffs seems closer to just getting fired. When these newly unemployed workers apply for other jobs, the concern is that hiring managers who might ordinarily be impressed with seeing “Facebook” on a CV will know exactly why these applicants are suddenly on the market—and, as a result, may be less inclined to give them a chance to defend themselves in an interview. Instead of waiting to find out for sure, some laid-off workers have started preemptively defending themselves online—and they are bringing receipts. Kaila Curry, who, until Monday, worked in product content operations at Meta, posted on LinkedIn her surprise at being lumped in with supposed low performers after receiving an “exceeds expectations” in her mid-year review. “I frequently asked for feedback and was always told I was doing a good job,” she wrote in the post. “I was never placed on a [performance improvement plan], never given corrective feedback, and never properly mentored or provided clear expectations. Curry’s experience lines up with a new report from Business Insider, claiming Meta’s director of people experience allowed managers to add employees from higher-performance tiers to those marked for layoffs if they couldn’t reach their reduction goals just from lower-rated employees. A spokesperson for Meta tells Fast Company that these were “performance-based terminations,” adding, “Prior ratings were not downgraded. Simply because someone had a history of meeting or exceeding expectations does not mean they continue to consistently meet the bar.” In searching for other potential reasons for her inclusion in the layoffs, though, Curry cites one recent incident: “Perhaps I became too vocal when our shift to young adult (YA) content involved removing safeguards that protected LGBTQ+ users.” The past few months have been a time of transition for Meta. The company has recently made major changes to its content moderation and DEI policies that appear in line with Zuckerberg’s recent embrace of President Trump. (The CEO also donated to Trump’s inauguration fund, added UFC CEO and Trump ally Dana White to Meta’s board, and declared on Joe Rogan’s podcast in January that companies currently need more “masculine energy.“) Another former employee, data scientist Joshua Latshaw, was also taken aback by his inclusion in the layoffs. As he wrote on LinkedIn, his five-year history with the company included several “exceeds expectations” ratings and a promotion. (His post even includes screenshots of those reviews in the comments.) According to Latshaw’s post, a “meets most expectations” in 2024 followed months of turmoil within his team—with the managers who conducted his review having only worked with him for less than six weeks. “This is the first [Performance Summary Cycle] at [M]eta that I wasn’t exactly correct in predicting my rating,” he wrote. The lone “meets most expectations” rating in Latshaw’s tenure at Meta was also striking, he notes, because it followed his taking parental leave earlier in the year. Over on Reddit’s r/Layoffs sub, a pseudonymous poster, identifying as a senior-level Meta employee who was let go on Monday, wrote that she, too, had taken maternity leave in the lead-up to her layoff. Several posters elsewhere on Reddit describe rumors of other Meta employees being laid off after returning from a recent parental or medical leave. (Meta did not comment on this.) Regardless of what led each Meta employee to wind up in this round of layoffs, it’s clear that the “low performer” moniker struck a nerve among those affected. Meta’s stock has been on the rise, with shares gaining 65% in 2024. Yet, considering that Zuckerberg’s big bet on the metaverse continues to cost his company billions of dollars per quarter, the CEO should maybe consider himself fortunate to have evaded the “low performer” label himself. View the full article

Ukraine has offered to strike a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump for continued American military aid in exchange for developing Ukraine’s mineral industry, which could provide a valuable source of the rare earth elements that are essential for many kinds of technology. Trump said that he wanted such a deal earlier this month, and it was initially proposed last fall by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of his plan to strengthen Kyiv’s hand in future negotiations with Moscow. “We really have this big potential in the territory which we control,” Andrii Yermak, chief of staff to the Ukrainian president, said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. “We are interested to work, to develop, with our partners, first of all, with the United States.” Here is a look at Ukraine’s rare earth industry and how a deal might come together: What are rare earth elements? Rare earth elements are a set of 17 elements that are essential to many kinds of consumer technology, including cellphones, hard drives and electric and hybrid vehicles. It’s unclear if Trump is seeking specific elements in Ukraine, which also has other minerals to offer. “It can be lithium. It can be titanium, uranium, many others,” Yermak said. “It’s a lot.” China, Trump’s chief geopolitical adversary, is the world’s largest producer of rare earth elements. Both the U.S and Europe have sought to reduce their dependence on Beijing. For Ukraine, such a deal would ensure that its biggest and most consequential ally doesn’t freeze military support. That would be devastating for the country, which has been at war for nearly three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. The idea also comes at a time when reliable and uninterrupted access to critical minerals is increasingly hard to come by globally. What is the state of the Ukrainian minerals industry? Ukraine’s rare earth elements are largely untapped because of the war and because of state policies regulating the mineral industry. The country also lacks good information to guide the development of rare earth mining. Geological data is thin because mineral reserves are scattered across Ukraine, and existing studies are considered largely inadequate. The industry’s true potential is clouded by insufficient research, according to businessmen and analysts. In general, the outlook for Ukrainian natural resources is promising. The country’s reserves of titanium, a key component for the aerospace, medical and automotive industries, are believed to be among Europe’s largest. Ukraine also holds some of Europe’s largest known reserves of lithium, which is required to produce batteries, ceramics and glass. In 2021, the Ukrainian mineral industry accounted for 6.1% of the country’s gross domestic product and 30% of exports. An estimated 40% of Ukraine’s metallic mineral resources are inaccessible because of Russian occupation, according to data from We Build Ukraine, a Kyiv-based think tank. Ukraine has argued that it’s in Trump’s interest to develop the remainder before Russian advances capture more. The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, identified Ukraine as a potential supplier for more than 20 critical raw materials and concluded that if the country joins the 27-nation EU, it could strengthen the European economy. What happens next? Details of any deal will likely develop in meetings between U.S. and Ukrainian officials. Trump announced Tuesday that he would send Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Ukraine to meet with Zelenskyy. “This War MUST and WILL END SOON — Too much Death and Destruction. The U.S. has spent BILLIONS of Dollars Globally, with little to show,” Trump said in a post on his social media network about the trip. U.S. companies have expressed interest, according to Ukrainian business officials. But striking a formal deal would likely require legislation, geological surveys and negotiation of specific terms. It’s unclear what kind of security guarantees companies would require to risk working in Ukraine, even in the event of a ceasefire. And no one knows for sure what kind of financing agreements would underpincontracts between Ukraine and U.S companies. —SAMYA KULLAB, Associated Press Susie Blann and Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report. View the full article

Trader Joe’s and other grocers are limiting the number of eggs customers can buy across the U.S., citing limited supply caused by the ongoing bird flu outbreak. Trader Joe’s is capping purchases to one carton per customer each day, the Monrovia, California-based chain confirmed. That limit applies to all of Trader Joe’s locations across the country. “We hope these limits will help to ensure that as many of our customers who need eggs are able to purchase them when they visit Trader Joe’s,” the company said in a statement sent to The Associated Press Tuesday. Photos of in-store notices about eggs purchase limits at retailers nationwide have swirled around online in recent weeks. In addition to Trader Joe’s, consumers and several local media outlets have also reported varying limits seen at stores like Costco, Whole Foods, Kroger and Aldi locations. When each limit went into effect is unclear, however. And not all are being implemented nationally. A spokesperson for Kroger, for example, confirmed that the supermarket giant doesn’t currently have “enterprise-wide limits” in place — but said some of regional divisions and store banners are asking customers to cap egg purchases to two dozen per trip. Walmart says it also hasn’t imposed national limits — expect for bulkier purchases of 60-count cartons, which have been capped to two per purchase, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail giant confirmed Tuesday. “Although supply is very tight, we’re working with suppliers to try and help meet customer demand, while striving to keep prices as low as possible,” Walmart said in an emailed statement. Costco, Whole Foods and Aldi did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. But Costco confirmed to CNN that the chain was limiting its customers to three packages of eggs, which are typically sold in two-dozen or four-dozen cartons. Meanwhile, notices previously seen in some Target locations have warned about supplier shortages, but don’t indicate specific purchase limits. The AP reached out to the retailer for further information. Avian flu is forcing farmers to slaughter millions of chickens a month, pushing U.S. egg prices to more than double their cost in the summer of 2023. The average price per dozen nationwide hit $4.15 in December — and it appears there may be no relief in sight, with the Agriculture Department predicting prices will soar another 20% this year. Retailers could notably feel added pressures with Easter demand fast approaching. Beyond grocery stores limits, U.S. consumers are also facing more expensive eggs in some restaurants. Last week, Waffle House, for example, said it would be adding a 50-cent surcharge per egg on all of its menus. —Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Associated Press View the full article

CSV, or Comma Separated Values, are files used for all kinds of things, from managing large datasets to exporting data to move it between web services. You might think CSV files are just spreadsheets, similar to Excel files, but it's a lot more interesting than that: Open any CSV file in a text document and you'll learn that the "comma separated" thing is literal. Really, these files are just text documents—every line break is a row in the table, and columns are the items in each row, all separated by commas. There is nothing stopping you from editing the values right there in your text editor of choice, but doing so would be extremely annoying. And while you can import CSV files into Excel and work with them there, it can get confusing—you have to keep track of which Excel features work in CSV files, and which do not. That's why, if you have to work in a CSV file, it's best to have a dedicated tool. A better tool for editing CSV filesModernCSV, an indie app for Linux, Mac, and Windows computers, is the best tool I've come across for this purpose. If you work with CSV files frequently, or just need to edit one quickly, it's worth checking out. This application is built specifically with CSV files in mind and makes working with them simple. For example: you can double-click the column number to re-order all items in the list based on that row. To test it, I downloaded a CSV breaking down all U.S. counties by population. The original file was organized by population; by double-clicking the state ID column I could quickly sort by state. After saving, the CSV itself was changed. Credit: Justin Pot That's just one example. It also offers complete find-and-replace, which is perfect for cleaning up corrupted files. It supports filtering, and lets you edit multiple cells at once: just select all the cells you want to edit and start typing, everything highlighted will be affected. There's even a command bar, triggered with the keyboard shortcut CLTR/CMD-L. This lets you quickly use any of the commands offered by the application without needing to learn the dedicated keyboard shortcut—just type what you want to do and hit enter. Credit: Justin Pot The app also offers support for quick pivot tables, which helps provide greater insight into the data. Case in point: I was able to use my information about U.S. counties to extrapolate U.S. state populations. Credit: Justin Pot There are more features worth digging into, but I recommend you check out the documentation if you want to learn more—there' a lot there. Free or paid versionsModernCSV offers a free version that includes many of the best features discussed above. There are two paid versions: Premium Personal for $39—adding features like filtering and date conversions—and Premium Business for $59, which offers pivot tables and other advanced reporting features. I think the free version is worth having on hand for anyone who even occasionally needs to edit CSV files, while the paid versions are great if you're a power user. View the full article

In comments to reporters, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., underscored what she said was a conflict of interest between Elon Musk's DOGE's actions at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and his business interests with X Money. View the full article

Joseph Otting, who is leading Flagstar's turnaround, said potential buyers may be interested in acquiring the regional bank once it gets past certain challenges. View the full article

Neo Home Loans, the business at the center of the trade secrets suit, has always maintained its independence in its lender partnerships, its co-creator claims. View the full article

Google will soon fully transition to automatically generated publication pages next month, in March. Back in April 2024, Google told us Publisher Center will soon stop allowing you to add publications and now this is the next step. This means that all publication pages in Google News will be generated automatically by Google. What Google said. Google wrote: Following our announcement in April 2024 last year, Google News will fully transition to automatically generated publication pages in March. This change improves our existing publisher workflow and simplifies our current product experience. Moving forward, all publication pages in Google News will be generated automatically. As a result, publication pages that had been created by publishers manually will no longer appear to users in Google News. Publisher Center will discontinue customization features for publication pages in Google News, and the Google News tile will no longer appear in Publisher Center. What is not changing. Google said this has no impact on what content is eligible to appear in Google News or other Google News related surfaces. “Content from publishers that adheres to our content policies is automatically eligible for consideration in Google News and across news surfaces,” Google wrote. Google will still use its confusing automated methods for determining what is included and not included in Google News. Also, for Google News Showcase and Reader Revenue Manager, publishers will continue to submit logos through Publisher Center. What is changing. Here is what is changing: Custom sections that were previously created in Google Publisher Center will no longer appear on publisher Google News landing pages. Publishers will no longer be able to use Google Publisher Center to customer their logos and publication titles. Google News will use a site’s favicon for the publisher logo instead. Google News will use the site names for publication titles instead. Why we care. Google Publisher Center, which was once a really great place for news publishers to control and maintain their publications in Google News, is becoming less and less value to news publishers. Google wants to automate the process and claims, “This change improves our existing publisher workflow and simplifies our current product experience.” However, I know that news publishers continue to miss the old method for Google News and Publisher Center. View the full article

President Donald Trump on Tuesday moved to revert to older standards for light bulbs as well as toilets, showers and other water-using appliances, a day after signing an order promoting plastic straws and rescinding a plan to reduce single-use plastics. Trump said he would call on the Environmental Protection Agency to go back to water standards from his first White House term that would also affect sinks, washing machines and dishwashers. In a post on his private social media platform, Trump wrote that he was directing EPA Secretary Lee Zeldin “to immediately go back to my Environmental Orders,” calling them common sense. “I look forward to signing these orders,” Trump added. On Monday, Trump signed an executive order encouraging the U.S. government and consumers to buy plastic drinking straws, part of a broader weakening of environmental commitments by the Republican president after taking office on Jan. 20. Trump first served in the White House from 2017-2021. Trump’s Democratic predecessor, President Joe Biden, had embraced a host of environmental measures, including new energy-efficiency requirements for household clothes washers and dishwashers that capped water usage. Conservatives had challenged the rules in court. (This story has been corrected to reflect that no action has been taken yet in the headline) —Susan Heavey, Reuters View the full article

Lenders increased offerings in jumbo and non-QM segments as the industry focuses on customers with strong credit, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. View the full article

The Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development is stiffing American businesses on hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid bills for work that has already been done, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday. The administration’s abrupt freeze on foreign aid also is forcing mass layoffs by U.S. suppliers and contractors for USAID, including 750 furloughs at one company, Washington-based Chemonics International, the lawsuit says. “One cannot overstate the impact of that unlawful course of conduct: on businesses large and small forced to shut down their programs and let employees go; on hungry children across the globe who will go without; on populations around the world facing deadly disease; and on our constitutional order,” the U.S. businesses and organizations said. An organization representing 170 small U.S. businesses, major suppliers, an American Jewish group aiding displaced people abroad, the American Bar Association and others joined the court challenge. It was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington against President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, acting USAID Deputy Administrator Peter Marocco, a Trump appointee who has been a central figure in hollowing out the agency, and Russell Vought, Trump’s head of the Office of Management and Budget. It is at least the third lawsuit over the administration’s rapid unraveling of the U.S. aid and development agency and its programs worldwide. Trump and ally Elon Musk have targeted USAID in particular, saying its work is out of line with Trump’s agenda. Marocco, Musk and Rubio have overseen an across-the-board freeze on foreign assistance and agency shutdown under a Jan. 20 executive order by Trump. A lawsuit brought by federal employees associations has temporarily blocked the administration from pulling thousands of USAID staffers off the job. The funding freeze and other measures have persisted, including the agency losing the lease on its Washington headquarters. The new administration terminated contracts without the required 30-day notice and without back payments for work that was already done, according to a U.S. official, a businessperson with a USAID contract and an email seen by The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal by the Trump administration. For Chemonics, one of the larger of the USAID partners, the funding freeze has meant $103 million in unpaid invoices and almost $500 million in USAID-ordered medication, food and other goods stalled in the supply chain or ports, the lawsuit says. For the health commodities alone, not delivering them “on time could potentially lead to as many as 566,000 deaths from HIV/AIDS, malaria, and unmet reproductive health needs, including 215,000 pediatric deaths,” the lawsuit says. The filing asserts that the administration has no authority to block programs and funding mandated by Congress without approval. Marocco defended the funding cutoff and push to put all but a fraction of USAID staff on leave in an affidavit filed late Monday in the lawsuit brought by the workers’ groups. “Insubordination” and “noncompliance” by USAID staffers made it necessary to stop funding and operations by the agency to allow the administration to carry out a program-by-program review to decide what U.S. aid programs could resume overseas, Marocco wrote. —Ellen Knickmeyer, Associated Press 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. Presidents Day is not until Feb. 17, 2025, but as is often the case, retailers have started their sales well in advance. Best Buy has the best sale I've seen so far, with great deals on major appliances and tech products, including headphones, TVs, soundbars, washers, and more. Here are my favorite deals from the sale worth considering. Resolution: 4K, Size: 55 inches, Display: LED, Backlight: Edge Lit, Voice Assistant: Alexa. 55” Samsung The Frame (LS03D, 2024) $899.99 at Best Buy $1,499.99 Save $600.00 Get Deal Get Deal $899.99 at Best Buy $1,499.99 Save $600.00 Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth, Maximum Frequency Response: 20 kilohertz, Peak Power: 550 Watts JBL Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer 5.1-Channel $259.99 at Best Buy $599.99 Save $340.00 Get Deal Get Deal $259.99 at Best Buy $599.99 Save $340.00 Noise Cancelling (Active): No, Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth, Water Resistant: Yes. Apple - AirPods 4 $99.99 at Best Buy $129.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal Get Deal $99.99 at Best Buy $129.99 Save $30.00 Capacity: 4.5 cubic feet, High-Efficiency: Yes, Washer Load Type: Front load, App Compatible: Yes. Samsung 4.5 Cu. Ft. Smart Front Load Washer $699.99 at Best Buy $1,034.99 Save $335.00 Get Deal Get Deal $699.99 at Best Buy $1,034.99 Save $335.00 Processor Model: i7, Graphics: Intel Iris Xe, RAM: 16 GB, Display Type: LED, Screen Size: 15.6 in. HP 15 (Intel Core i7 12th Gen, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, Touch Display, 2024 Model) $499.99 at Best Buy $799.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal Get Deal $499.99 at Best Buy $799.99 Save $300.00 Screen Size: 40 millimeters, Operating System: watchOS, App: Yes, Built-in Storage: 32 GB. Apple Watch SE 2nd Generation $169.00 at Best Buy $249.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal Get Deal $169.00 at Best Buy $249.00 Save $80.00 SEE 3 MORE A Samsung washer with a $335 discountIf you're looking for a washer, peep this Samsung 4.5 Cu. Ft. Smart front load washer for $699.99 (originally $1,034.99), the lowest price it has been over the last few months, according to price-tracking tools. If you need other major appliances and like free TVs (who doesn't?), Best Buy is offering a free 75-inch Samsung Crystal UHD TV when you buy two or more appliances and they total at least $2,499.99. Very doable if you need a stove or fridge. The Frame TV is $600 offSamsung's The Frame is perfect for those who don't want an ugly TV to be the centerpiece of their living room. The matte and anti-reflective screen truly makes it look like you have a piece of art hanging on your wall (I've been fooled by them before). You can get the 55-inch The Frame for $899.99 (originally $1,499.99), the lowest price it's been over the last few months. A JBL soundbar and subwoofer combo over 50% offBuck for buck, there's nothing that elevates a home theater setup like getting a soundbar and subwoofer combo. The JBL 5.1 Channel Soundbar and Subwoofer combo is $259.99 (originally $599.99), a killer deal and the cheapest it has been over the last few months. You can read more about the PCMag review here. A powerful HP laptop for less than $500An HP laptop with an i7 processor with 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage for $499.99 (originally $799.99) is impressive. Make sure you're OK having a 15.6-inch screen, which is definitely on the bigger end of the spectrum. The resolution isn't 4K (only Full HD) with an LED display, but if you care about performance over design and aesthetics, it's a good choice. Apple Watch and AirPods up to $80 offApple users will enjoy the budget Apple Watch SE 2nd Generation for $169 (originally $249) and the new AirPods 4 for $99.99 (originally $129.99). Both of these are at the lowest price they've been over the last few months. Finally, a note of caution: If you've been eyeing that Google Pixel 7 Pro deal at Best Buy, don't buy it. It's much cheaper over at Woot with more storage. You're welcome. View the full article