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Equities recover some ground after US president delays levies on Canada and MexicoView the full article

US president’s trade offensive pushes producers to seek other markets as Beijing mulls retaliation optionsView the full article

Chief executive says government efficiency department will be ‘very good’ for data analytics groupView the full article

Bluevine has announced a new partnership with Xero, a global small business accounting platform, aimed at providing small business owners and accountants in the U.S. with improved financial management tools. The collaboration allows Bluevine customers to sync their banking data with Xero, enhancing efficiency, financial tracking, and overall business growth. Through this partnership, small businesses and their accountants will be able to integrate banking data from Bluevine directly into Xero. This enables streamlined collaboration, easier financial management, and improved tracking of expenses and cash flow. In Bluevine’s accountant dashboard, accountants can securely access their clients’ Bluevine accounts, simplifying the process of managing business finances. The partnership includes special promotional offers for customers: Bluevine Plus and Premier customers receive a six-month free trial of Xero’s accounting software. US-based Xero customers can access a three-month free trial of Bluevine’s Plus or Premier banking plans. Bluevine Standard customers receive a three-month free trial of Xero’s accounting software. Xero customers opening a Bluevine account may qualify for a $300 sign-up bonus, subject to eligibility requirements. Bluevine Premier customers gain additional benefits, including a 3.7% annual percentage yield, low-cost payment fees, ACH positive pay, and priority customer support. “We’re proud to partner with Xero to simplify financial management for small business owners and their accountants, and unlock value for both groups,” said Kyle Cooper, VP and GM of Checking and Payments at Bluevine. Vikram Grover, Executive General Manager, Global Partnerships at Xero, added, “Small businesses thrive when they have access to accurate, real-time financial data at their fingertips. Our integration with Bluevine will sync financial data into Xero, giving businesses a clear view of their cash flow so they can make informed decisions that fuel growth. We’re providing a holistic view of business finances, empowering small businesses and their advisors with the knowledge they need to succeed.” The Bluevine-Xero integration is now available to customers. For further details on plans, pricing, and eligibility for promotional offers, visit the Plans and Pricing page or the Xero promotion page. This article, "Bluevine Partners with Xero to Enhance Small Business Banking and Accounting" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Bluevine has announced a new partnership with Xero, a global small business accounting platform, aimed at providing small business owners and accountants in the U.S. with improved financial management tools. The collaboration allows Bluevine customers to sync their banking data with Xero, enhancing efficiency, financial tracking, and overall business growth. Through this partnership, small businesses and their accountants will be able to integrate banking data from Bluevine directly into Xero. This enables streamlined collaboration, easier financial management, and improved tracking of expenses and cash flow. In Bluevine’s accountant dashboard, accountants can securely access their clients’ Bluevine accounts, simplifying the process of managing business finances. The partnership includes special promotional offers for customers: Bluevine Plus and Premier customers receive a six-month free trial of Xero’s accounting software. US-based Xero customers can access a three-month free trial of Bluevine’s Plus or Premier banking plans. Bluevine Standard customers receive a three-month free trial of Xero’s accounting software. Xero customers opening a Bluevine account may qualify for a $300 sign-up bonus, subject to eligibility requirements. Bluevine Premier customers gain additional benefits, including a 3.7% annual percentage yield, low-cost payment fees, ACH positive pay, and priority customer support. “We’re proud to partner with Xero to simplify financial management for small business owners and their accountants, and unlock value for both groups,” said Kyle Cooper, VP and GM of Checking and Payments at Bluevine. Vikram Grover, Executive General Manager, Global Partnerships at Xero, added, “Small businesses thrive when they have access to accurate, real-time financial data at their fingertips. Our integration with Bluevine will sync financial data into Xero, giving businesses a clear view of their cash flow so they can make informed decisions that fuel growth. We’re providing a holistic view of business finances, empowering small businesses and their advisors with the knowledge they need to succeed.” The Bluevine-Xero integration is now available to customers. For further details on plans, pricing, and eligibility for promotional offers, visit the Plans and Pricing page or the Xero promotion page. This article, "Bluevine Partners with Xero to Enhance Small Business Banking and Accounting" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Small Business Financial Exchange, Inc. (SBFE) and bluCognition have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing small business lending analytics. By integrating bluCognition’s advanced bank transaction data analysis with SBFE’s extensive credit payment performance data, the collaboration seeks to provide lenders with a more comprehensive view of borrower financial health. The partnership is expected to strengthen SBFE’s existing credit bureau relationships while expanding its membership base among U.S. lending institutions. The goal is to improve risk assessment and provide lenders with deeper insights into small business financial stability. “I am thrilled to have bluCognition partnering with SBFE to bring new products and services that will complement existing offerings from our credit bureau partners,” said Elisabeth Hughes MacDonald, Chief Executive Officer of SBFE. “Our members will benefit greatly from the availability of these new tools.” SBFE’s data exchange network includes information from over 140 members, including the top 10 commercial banks. By integrating bluCognition’s AI and machine learning capabilities, lenders will gain access to real-time financial insights based on borrower banking transactions. “In today’s rapidly changing financial environment, bluCognition’s strategic partnership with the SBFE will significantly advance the accuracy of currently available solutions to predict the financial health of any borrower. This partnership with SBFE will allow us to provide lenders an integrated view of any borrower by combining their credit payment performance with insights derived from leveraging their banking and financial transactions in real time,” said Sangarsh Nigam, President & CEO of bluCognition. This article, "SBFE and bluCognition Partner to Improve Small Business Lending Analytics" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Small Business Financial Exchange, Inc. (SBFE) and bluCognition have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing small business lending analytics. By integrating bluCognition’s advanced bank transaction data analysis with SBFE’s extensive credit payment performance data, the collaboration seeks to provide lenders with a more comprehensive view of borrower financial health. The partnership is expected to strengthen SBFE’s existing credit bureau relationships while expanding its membership base among U.S. lending institutions. The goal is to improve risk assessment and provide lenders with deeper insights into small business financial stability. “I am thrilled to have bluCognition partnering with SBFE to bring new products and services that will complement existing offerings from our credit bureau partners,” said Elisabeth Hughes MacDonald, Chief Executive Officer of SBFE. “Our members will benefit greatly from the availability of these new tools.” SBFE’s data exchange network includes information from over 140 members, including the top 10 commercial banks. By integrating bluCognition’s AI and machine learning capabilities, lenders will gain access to real-time financial insights based on borrower banking transactions. “In today’s rapidly changing financial environment, bluCognition’s strategic partnership with the SBFE will significantly advance the accuracy of currently available solutions to predict the financial health of any borrower. This partnership with SBFE will allow us to provide lenders an integrated view of any borrower by combining their credit payment performance with insights derived from leveraging their banking and financial transactions in real time,” said Sangarsh Nigam, President & CEO of bluCognition. This article, "SBFE and bluCognition Partner to Improve Small Business Lending Analytics" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

President Donald Trump on Monday agreed to a 30-day pause on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada as America’s two largest trading partners took steps to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking. The pauses provide a cool-down period after a tumultuous few days that put North America on the cusp of a trade war that risked crushing economic growth, causing prices to soar and ending two of the United States’ most critical partnerships. “I am very pleased with this initial outcome, and the Tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for a 30 day period to see whether or not a final Economic deal with Canada can be structured,” Trump posted on social media. “FAIRNESS FOR ALL!” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted Monday afternoon on X that the pause would occur “while we work together,” saying that his government would name a fentanyl czar, list Mexican cartels as terrorist groups and launch a “Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering.” The pause followed a similar move with Mexico that allows for a period of negotiations over drug smuggling and illegal immigration. The 10% tariff that Trump ordered on China is still set to go into effect as scheduled on Tuesday, though Trump planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next few days. While the trade war feared by investors, companies and political leaders now seems less likely to erupt, that doesn’t mean the drama over Trump’s tariff threats has ended. Canada and Mexico bought some additional time, but Trump could easily renew his tariffs and already plans to announce taxes on imports from the European Union. All of that leaves the global economy uncertain about whether a crisis has been averted or if a possible catastrophe could still be coming in the weeks ahead. Trump on Saturday had directed 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, with another 10% tariff on Canadian oil, natural gas and electricity. The U.S. president had repeatedly previewed these moves, yet they still managed to shock many investors, lawmakers, businesses and consumers. Multiple analyses by the Tax Foundation, the Tax Policy Center and the Peterson Institute for International Economics showed that the tariffs could hurt growth, lower incomes and push up prices. But Trump repeatedly insisted — despite promises to curb inflation — that tariffs were necessary tools to get other nations to stop illegal immigration, prevent fentanyl smuggling and treat the United States, in his mind, with respect. Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the monthlong pause on increased tariffs against one another after what Trump described on social media as a “very friendly conversation,” and he said he looked forward to the upcoming talks. “I look forward to participating in those negotiations, with President Sheinbaum, as we attempt to achieve a ‘deal’ between our two Countries,” the president said on social media. Trump said the talks would be headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce nominee Howard Lutnick and high-level representatives of Mexico. Sheinbaum said she was reinforcing the border with 10,000 members of her country’s National Guard and that the U.S. government would commit “to work to stop the trafficking of high-powered weapons to Mexico.” In 2019, when Mexico’s government also avoided tariffs from Trump’s administration, the government announced it would send 15,000 soldiers to its northern border. But for much of Monday, the outlook was worrisomely different for Canada, only for an agreement to come together. A senior Canadian official said Canada was not confident it could avoid the looming tariffs as Mexico did. That’s because Canada feels as if the Trump administration has been shifting its requests of Canada more than it did for Mexico. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, having not been authorized to speak publicly. Asked Monday afternoon what Canada could offer in talks to prevent tariffs, Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office: “I don’t know.” He mused about trying to make Canada the 51st state, part of ongoing antagonism despite decades of friendship with Canada in a partnership that has ranged from World War II to the response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The U.S. president also indicated that more import taxes could be coming against China: “If we can’t make a deal with China, then the tariffs will be very, very substantial.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump would speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next couple of days and that the White House would provide a report on the discussion. Financial markets, businesses and consumers on Monday were still trying to prepare for the possibility of the new tariffs. For example, Stew Leonard Jr., president and CEO of Stew Leonard’s, a supermarket chain that operates stores in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, said his buyers were considering stocking up on Mexico’s Casamigos tequila ahead of the tariffs and switching from Canadian to Norwegian salmon. Stock markets sold off slightly, suggesting some hope that the import taxes that could push up inflation and disrupt global trade and growth would be short-lived. Trump even inquired Monday how the financial markets were doing as reporters were leaving the Oval Office. The situation reflected a deep uncertainty about a Republican president who has talked with adoration about tariffs, even saying the U.S. government made a mistake in 1913 by switching to income taxes as its primary revenue source. Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, said Monday that it was misleading to characterize the showdown as a trade war despite the planned retaliations and risk of escalation. “Read the executive order where President Trump was absolutely, 100% clear that this is not a trade war,” Hassett said. “This is a drug war.” But even if the orders are focused on illegal drugs, Trump’s own remarks have often been more about his perceived sense that foreign countries are ripping off the United States by running trade surpluses. On Sunday, Trump said that tariffs would be coming soon on countries in the European Union. On Monday afternoon, he suggested a willingness to keep using tariff threats because the size of the U.S. economy as the world’s largest made them effective. “Tariffs are very powerful both economically and in getting everything else you want,” Trump told reporters. Tariffs for us, nobody can compete with us because we’re the pot of gold. But if we don’t keep winning and keep doing well, we won’t be the pot of gold.” —Josh Boak, Rob Gillies and Fabiola Sánchez, Associated Press Anne D’Innocenzio, an Associated Press writer, contributed to this report. View the full article

A strong supply chain ensures the right goods are available at the right time, in the right place, and in the right quantities. An effective supply chain strengthens everything from customer loyalty and company reputation to market resilience and consumer safety. But supply chains are notoriously vulnerable to costly disruption, tampering, and theft. In today’s world of rapidly shifting consumer demands, ensuring supply chain integrity is critical to maintaining a healthy supply chain, which can mean the difference between keeping pace with and falling behind the competition. Impinj surveyed 1,000 US supply chain professionals across a variety of industries for its Supply Chain Integrity Outlook 2025 report. We defined supply chain integrity as the reliability, security, and accuracy of all elements within the supply chain, ensuring that products and services are delivered as intended. We discovered that integrity matters a great deal to supply chain leaders. But there’s also a glaring supply chain data accuracy gap that could mean significant headaches for organizations in 2025. Supply chain managers facing data blind spot More than nine out of 10 supply chain managers believe they are equipped to achieve accurate, 360°, real-time inventory visibility, yet just 33% consistently do so. This data blind spot affects the ability to make the informed, data-driven decisions necessary to optimize inventory, boost efficiency, and lower costs. As a result, many companies are struggling to reach the level of insights, visibility, and accuracy required to support supply chain integrity and respond quickly to demand, leading to system-wide impacts across a range of issues, including counterfeiting, theft, sustainability, and the effective use of AI across the supply chain. Disruption from viral trends Viral trends can be a boon to retailers by driving increased sales. But they become a headache for supply chain leaders when they lack visibility into the goods in their supply chain. As a result, more than half of supply chain leaders say they face challenges in responding quickly to shifting demand. They’re also struggling to keep pace with changes in customer shopping habits and demand driven by popular online storefronts like Facebook Marketplace and Instagram Shops. Rapid peaks in customer demand, driven by viral trends, can happen without warning, potentially putting organizations without real-time inventory insights on the back foot. Effective AI strategies require accurate data AI has the potential to revolutionize supply chains. Think efficiency, real-time decision-making, and predictive analytics for inventory management. But effective AI strategies are built on accurate data. In the survey, inaccurate data is the most frequently cited obstacle to implementing AI for supply chain improvements, followed by data availability and real-time data access. These findings emphasize the need to correct supply chain inaccuracies now, giving supply chain leaders a solid foundation for adopting AI and other groundbreaking future innovations that rely on good data. Fighting faux merchandise, shrink, and theft Most respondents, particularly in retail (65%), say they are plagued with counterfeit goods in the supply chain, regardless of the size of their business. Reducing shrink and theft is also a challenge for most (60%) organizations. These remain systemic issues for supply chain leaders, particularly those in the food, grocery, and restaurant sector, where 82% report challenges reducing shrink. Improving supply chain sustainability Supply chain managers are under pressure to reduce the environmental impact of their operations. Over a quarter of respondents report difficulties in reducing the environmental impact of their organization’s supply chain, while nearly half (49%) are concerned about meeting the EU’s upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP) mandate. A scattershot approach to addressing supply chain integrity Almost all supply chain professionals surveyed say they plan to invest in improving their organization’s supply chain in the next year. However, the best course of action may not be obvious, which is why many respondents are attempting a mix of strategies. Retail supply managers are adopting new technologies for the authentication of goods in transit and general goods verification, and they’re introducing more authentication checkpoints throughout the supply chain. Meanwhile, the food sector is looking to technology for shopfloor surveillance and food waste reduction. To improve sustainability, respondents across sectors cite several strategies, including measurement of their sustainability efforts and improving last-mile delivery efficiency. This scattershot approach may portend an underlying problem: putting narrowly scoped measures into practice could contribute to the general lack of real-time visibility and data accuracy. Real-time visibility can bridge the gap Supply chain integrity matters. Without it, supply chains become insecure and unreliable. Our research shows a pressing need for organizations to address data accuracy gaps for greater supply chain – and business — resiliency. Visibility into everything that enters and moves through a supply chain can have enormous positive impact, delivering real-time insights that help organizations power more robust forecasting and decision-making for a nimbler response to supply chain stressors. Technologies like RAIN RFID are helping supply chain managers drive more accurate data insights to power everything from supply chain automation and AI to advanced anti-counterfeiting, loss prevention and shipment planning. As today’s supply chains face increasing threats from climate change, geopolitical instability, and constantly changing consumer tastes, unaddressed supply chain data gaps are a growing liability that organizations cannot afford to ignore. Jeff Dossett is Chief Revenue Officer at Impinj View the full article

High costs and inflexible immigration system deter talent, say peersView the full article

Imagine this: A team meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. in California. For software developers in Mumbai, it’s 5:30 a.m. the next day—prime sleeping hours or, at best, the tail end of an exhausting night shift. In Poland, where other team members are based, it’s already 1 a.m., and the developers are long offline. Awkward timing for a call, to say the least. How do these time zone differences impact overall efficiency? As more projects rely on globally distributed teams with members from every corner of the world, this question is becoming increasingly urgent. This is underscored by a study conducted by Harvard Business School professor Prithwiraj Choudhury. It found that even a one-hour time difference leads to an 11% drop in real-time communication, like calls or video chats, and a 19% reduction in opportunities to connect during the workday. Communication gaps like these ripple through team dynamics, causing stress, forcing employees to catch up outside work hours, and reducing overall efficiency. The cost of poor communication is significant. Grammarly reported that U.S. businesses lose over $1.2 trillion annually due to inefficiencies caused by miscommunication. This is why time zone alignment makes such a big difference. Teams operating within overlapping hours collaborate more effectively, experience less stress, and work more efficiently. This is the driving force behind nearshoring—the practice of outsourcing to nearby regions with overlapping working hours. Harmony across time zones: How nearshoring drives collaboration Nearshoring solves the headaches of time zone misalignment. By working with LATAM teams, U.S. companies can collaborate in real time and have fewer scheduling conflicts. The region’s expanding tech talent, driven by investments in education and connectivity, makes it an ideal partner. Nearshoring means real-time communication, stronger relationships, and a workforce that boosts both productivity and mental health. As distributed teams strive for efficiency and balance, time zone alignment shouldn’t be an afterthought. Prioritizing schedules that support seamless collaboration and reduce stress enables companies to unlock the true potential of remote work. It’s about more than convenience—it’s about creating frameworks that build trust, clarity, and alignment across teams. How? Observing our distributed teams at work, a handful of recommendations come to mind: Implement a collaboration framework: Working remotely across close time zones requires clear guidelines for communication, support, and task ownership. A well-structured framework ensures that responsibilities are clear and minimizes interventions—like being pulled into a late-night Zoom meeting when family time beckons. This clarity and communication allows team members to focus on their work without sacrificing their personal lives. Poor collaboration doesn’t just create personal frustration; it can significantly impact business. When teammates are constantly catching up, replying to endless emails, or joining irrelevant calls, stress levels quickly escalate. Stress-related conditions cost U.S. businesses over $300 billion annually due to absenteeism. With the right framework, teams stay productive and maintain mental well-being. Minimize time zone-related challenges: To secure top tech talent, we’ve expanded our hiring reach to ensure both expertise and seamless collaboration with U.S.-based clients. We focus on time zones that allow overlapping schedules, making nearshoring a clear advantage over traditional outsourcing. Nearshoring eliminates the complexity of scheduling across divergent time zones, enabling real-time collaboration, removing blockers, and supporting time-sensitive solutions. Our team members frequently highlight the mental health benefits of this alignment. Adequate sleep and greater control over their schedules stand out as key contributors to their well-being. Shared schedules also streamline Agile and Scrum methodologies, ensuring planning, daily standups, and retrospectives happen without conflicts. Get Culture Right: While diverse perspectives foster creative problem-solving, mismatched working styles can create friction. In our experience working with distributed teams across LATAM, we’ve found that clear communication, prompt resolution of blockers, and a strong sense of ownership are critical to success. These traits—paired with a hands-on approach to tackling bottlenecks—build trust and ensure progress. Nearshoring supports these expectations by fostering a shared work culture where feedback is encouraged, mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, and collaboration thrives. This alignment ensures teams deliver both innovation and reliability. Optimize scheduling with the right tools: As recent studies show, work schedules have a direct impact on mental health. Effective scheduling is key to maintaining mental health and productivity. Tools like Jira and Asana enable asynchronous work by tracking tasks, assigning ownership, and setting clear deadlines. Platforms like Slack and Zoom keep teams connected and ensure communication is well-documented. Integrations between tools, such as Slack notifications for Google Calendar or Jira updates, centralize information and prevent missed tasks. Leveraging these solutions simplifies collaboration and supports balanced, efficient workflows. As we become more attuned to the importance of mental health, it’s clear that aligning time zones isn’t just practical—it’s transformative. Collaborating with teams in aligned time zones simplifies workflows, reduces stress, and fosters a healthier, more efficient work environment. Thoughtful scheduling, cultural alignment, and nearshoring make remote collaboration effective and enjoyable simply by paying better attention to how we manage the most precious resource at our disposal: time. Nacho De Marco is the cofounder and CEO of BairesDev. View the full article

Multiple earthquakes are rattling Santorini, a volcanic island in Greece, prompting authorities to dispatch rescuers with tents, a sniffer dog and drones, and to shut schools on four islands. Residents have been warned to avoid indoor gatherings, check escape routes, stay away from cliffs and to drain swimming pools to reduce potential structural damage to buildings in the event of a large earthquake. Greece lies in a highly seismically active part of the world, and earthquakes are frequent. The vast majority cause no injuries and little or no damage, but the country has also seen deadly quakes. Earthquakes can’t be predicted, but authorities are taking measures as a precaution. Santorini, one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations, took its present crescent shape following a massive volcanic eruption in antiquity. Now, millions of visitors each year come to see its dramatic scenery of whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches clinging to the cliff along the flooded caldera, or volcanic crater. Last week, scientists said they had noticed increased volcanic activity in the caldera, but say this isn’t linked to the earthquakes. Here’s a look at the current situation: What’s going on? About 200 quakes with magnitudes between 3 and 4.9 were registered from Saturday to Monday afternoon between Santorini and the nearby island of Amorgos, authorities said. Seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos said on Greece’s ERT television that the seismic activity began on Jan. 24, but intensified Saturday, with increasing frequency and magnitudes. The fault line producing the current earthquakes runs for about 120 kilometers (75 miles), but only the southern part between Santorini and Amorgos has been activated. The earthquakes have epicenters beneath the seabed, roughly 30-40 kilometers (18-25 miles) from any of the islands. Scientists say this is good news, as an epicenter beneath land could potentially be more destructive. But a large quake could also trigger a tsunami, so authorities have warned people to stay away from coastal areas and head inland if they feel a significant earthquake. So far, there has been no damage or injuries reported, although some minor rock slides have occurred. Could the earthquakes trigger a volcanic eruption? Santorini lies along the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, which stretches from the Peloponnese in southern Greece through the Cycladic islands. Last Wednesday, Greece’s Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry announced monitoring sensors had picked up “mild seismic-volcanic activity” inside the island’s caldera. Similar volcanic activity had been recorded in 2011, when it lasted for 14 months and ended without any major issues. Another volcano — a submarine one called Kolumbo — lies about 8 kilometers (5 miles) northeast of Santorini, nearer to the epicenter of the current earthquakes. But seismologists say the quakes aren’t related to the volcanoes. A meeting between government officials and scientists determined that seismic activity within Santorini’s caldera “remains at the same low levels as in recent days,” the Civil Protection Ministry said Monday, but that it was “particularly increased” between Santorini and Amorgos. What are authorities worried about? Scientists are still trying to determine definitively whether the multiple quakes are foreshocks — smaller earthquakes before a major temblor. Papadopoulos said that there was a “high probability” they are. Santorini’s main villages are built along the rim of the volcano’s caldera — producing the dramatic scenery of cascading whitewashed houses and sunset viewpoints that make the island so popular, but also raising concerns in the event of a major earthquake. The sheer cliffs also make some areas prone to rock slides. What precautions are being taken? Authorities sent a team of rescuers with a sniffer dog and drones to Santorini, where they set up tents in a basketball court next to the island’s main hospital as a staging area. Push alerts have been sent to cellphones warning people to stay away from areas where rock slides could occur, and banning access to some coastal areas. Residents and hotels have been asked to drain swimming pools, as the water movement in a major quake could destabilize buildings. People have been told to avoid old buildings and check for exit routes when in built-up areas. Schools on Santorini, as well as the nearby islands of Anafi, Amorgos and Ios, will remain shut all week. What’s the history? The fault line that has been activated was the site of Greece’s largest quake in the last century: a 7.7 magnitude temblor dubbed the Amorgos earthquake that struck in 1956, triggering a roughly 20-meter (65-foot) tsunami, causing significant damage in Amorgos and Santorini and killing more than 50 people. Santorini is also the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in human history. Known as the Minoan eruption, it occurred around 1,600 B.C. and destroyed much of the formerly round island, giving Santorini its current shape. The eruption is believed to have contributed to the decline of the ancient Minoan civilization. Although it’s still an active volcano, the last notable eruption occurred in 1950. “What we must realize is that the Santorini volcano produces very large explosions every 20,000 years,” Efthymios Lekkas, seismologist and head of the scientific monitoring committee for the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, said last week. “It’s been 3,000 years since the last explosion, so we have a very long time ahead of us before we face a big explosion.” —Elena Becatoros, Associated Press View the full article

The WordPress Hot Nacho Scandal was a formative event that may have shaped how Mullenweg responds to controversies like the WP Engine conflict The post How WordPress Hot Nacho Scandal Shapes WP Engine Dispute appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

A lot has changed since Donald Trump’s first term in the White House. E-commerce’s share of total retail sales has risen from 15% at the end of 2020 to 16.2%—a 1.2 percentage point increase, but a near-10% rise in real terms. The number of packages entering the United States that come under the $800 de minimis threshold that allows imports to enter the country without charge has gone from around 600,000 in 2020 to more than one million in 2024. But the biggest change of all in the world of online retail is about to come, thanks to Trump himself, who has slapped a 10% tariff on goods coming into the country from China. “This is all part of a bigger game of high stakes poker between the U.S. and China when it comes to trade negotiations,” says Dan Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities. But in this case, the poker game could affect the 335 million citizens of the United States who increasingly rely on e-commerce. Trump himself has admitted that Americans could feel “some pain” as a result of the tariffs, which include fees on imports from China. (Similar tariffs on Mexico and Canada were delayed after both countries agreed on Monday to send 10,000 troops to their respective borders with the U.S.) “There are a lot of businesses that source from China that are going to have a lot of problems—and a lot of those brands go under the radar for how important they are to the wider e-comm ecosystem,” says Ben Graham, an independent e-commerce expert. “The random stuff that is non-premium is going to take a hit I think—and that’s the stuff that aggregators went pretty hard into.” Michael Wieder of Lalo, a baby and toddler product company, sources and manufacturers’ products all over the world, but is “pretty reliant on China,” he says. “In our industry, durable goods in the baby space, that’s where it’s made, and that’s where there’s a sophisticated enough supply chain and a trustworthy enough supply chain.” Wieder points out that regulated products such as Lalo’s come from China by necessity—it’s where the knowledge base on how to build those products safely sits. Wieder can’t say for sure whether his company will be hit by the tariffs because the regulation has been very vague. “There’s a lot of ambiguity right now, quite frankly, that we’re dealing with and learning about every minute to find out what our exposure is,” he says. Besides first-party retailers selling through their own websites, the impact of tariffs on Chinese-sourced goods will be significant across the whole e-commerce industry. Around four in 10 third-party sellers on Amazon are exposed to Chinese-based sourcing of products, according to Bank of America—and therefore will likely see their costs rise as a result of tariffs that hit Chinese imports to the U.S. “Amazon particularly won’t want to suffer the losses, so will likely try and make up any short falls in seller or ad revenue by pushing up their fees,” says Graham, “which will push the prices even higher, and as Amazon doesn’t like to be the highest priced channel you sell on, brands will have to raise other channel prices accordingly.” Wieder, for his part, has decided to take the hit on income temporarily—but says that it might not be possible in the long run. “We’re going to have to understand the long term impact, but for most people, you’ll first see the impact on your consumables, your groceries, that will start to take effect pretty quickly.” He believes the first inkling that prices are going up will appear within eight to 12 weeks, because businesses have enough stock in storage to last until then. But those customers will have to stick with the businesses that remain, Wieder adds. “I think that there’s going to be a contraction of newer businesses and newer brands entering the market,” he says. “It takes more capital than ever to do that, and it’s going to be expensive to buy the inventory.” View the full article

Dozens of employees at the U.S. Education Department were put on paid administrative leave in response to President Donald Trump’s order banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government, according to a labor union that represents hundreds of workers in the agency. It’s unclear how many workers were put on leave or for what reasons, said Sheria Smith, president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 252. The majority of employees placed on leave do not work in DEI initiatives and span all branches of the agency, she said, from an office that sends billions of dollars to K-12 schools to an office that enforces civil rights laws. The shakeup comes as Elon Musk‘s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, pushes to cut programs and federal workers at departments across the government, including the U.S. Agency for International Development. A DOGE team was working at the Education Department on Monday to implement Trump’s executive orders and agenda, said Madison Biedermann, an Education Department spokesperson. The department did not immediately comment on the personnel changes and would not say how many employees were placed on leave. At least 55 Education Department workers received an email Friday saying they were being put on paid leave effective immediately pursuant to Trump’s executive order. It wasn’t being done for “any disciplinary purpose,” according to a copy of the email obtained by The Associated Press. Those placed on leave lost access to their government email accounts and were told not to report to the office. They include a range of staff members and managers across the department, which employs more than 4,000 workers in Washington and regional offices across the country. Most of those on leave appear to have taken a voluntary diversity training seminar offered by the department, Smith said. The Diversity Change Agent program has been promoted by the agency for years, including during Trump’s first term in office. Graduates of the two-day program were expected to serve as role models and help improve the department’s “capacity to attract and retain a diverse workforce,” according to an internal email from 2019 obtained by the AP. Smith said hundreds of employees have taken the training, but it was unclear if all of them were placed on leave. She said many people were under the impression the training was strongly encouraged or required. “It seems unfair to encourage or require people to take a training and then four or five years later place them on administrative leave,” Smith said. Some current employees who are on leave said the action could disrupt the agency’s core work, including the management of federal student loans and the FAFSA form for student financial aid. The workers spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a former teacher and member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said Trump is “purging” employees for taking a training course that his administration encouraged them to take. “This won’t help our kids learn or even save us money,” Murray said on the social media site X. “He’s just breaking services people rely on.” Trump’s order called for all DEI staff in the federal government to be put on paid leave and eventually laid off. It’s part of a broader crackdown on diversity programs that the Republican president says are racist. Trump campaigned on a promise to shut down the Education Department, which he says has been infiltrated by “radicals, zealots and Marxists.” He said the agency’s power should be turned over to states and schools. —Collin Binkley, Associated Press The Associated Press’s education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters, and funded coverage areas at AP.org. View the full article

US stocks and peso recover earlier losses after month-long delay agreed with biggest trading partnersView the full article

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday ordering the creation of a sovereign wealth fund within the next year, saying it could potentially buy the short video app TikTok. Trump offered little in the way of detail and it was unclear how such a wealth fund would work. Typically such funds rely on a country’s budget surplus to make investments, but the U.S. operates at a deficit. Its creation also would likely require approval from Congress. “We’re going to create a lot of wealth for the fund,” Trump told reporters. “And I think it’s about time that this country had a sovereign wealth fund.” Trump had previously floated such a government investment vehicle as a presidential candidate, saying it could fund “great national endeavors” like infrastructure projects such as highways and airports, manufacturing, and medical research. Administration officials did not say how the fund would operate or be financed, but Trump has previously said it could be funded by “tariffs and other intelligent things.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters the fund would be set up within the next 12 months. “We’re going to monetize the asset side of the U.S. balance sheet for the American people,” Bessent said. “There’ll be a combination of liquid assets, assets that we have in this country as we work to bring them out for the American people.” The Biden administration also was considering establishing such a fund prior to Trump’s election in November, according to The New York Times and Financial Times. Investors on Wall Street said the news came as a surprise. “Creating a sovereign wealth fund suggests that a country has savings that will go up and can be allocated to this,” said Colin Graham, head of multi-asset strategies at Robeco in London. “The economic rules of thumb don’t add up.” There are over 90 such funds across the world managing over $8 trillion in assets, according to the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds. In another surprise twist, Trump suggested the wealth fund could buy Tiktok, whose fate has been up in the air since a law requiring its Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell it on national security grounds or face a ban took effect on Jan. 19. Trump, after taking office on Jan. 20, signed an executive order seeking to delay by 75 days the enforcement of the law. Trump has said that he was in talks with multiple people over TikTok’s purchase and would likely have a decision on the app’s future in February. The popular app has about 170 million American users. “We’re going to be doing something, perhaps with TikTok, and perhaps not,” Trump said. “If we make the right deal, we’ll do it. Otherwise, we won’t…we might put that in the sovereign wealth fund.” —Jarrett Renshaw, Pete Schroeder, and Suzanne McGee, Reuters View the full article

The mortgage securities guarantor told the Government Accountability Office it was held back by the limits of its role and information sharing constraints. View the full article

US proposal appears to align with President Zelenskyy’s strategy to keep Washington onsideView the full article

Enterprise software giants Salesforce and ServiceNow each excel in their intended domains – customer relationship management (CRM) solution and internal service management, respectively. Yet, it can be challenging to operate both of these platforms simultaneously across a large organization without ending up in two distinct data silos. The software development team or IT department ends up in one, while marketing, sales, and customer support wind up in the other. But these departments can’t function in isolation without the whole organization suffering. When processes get bogged down by redundancy and missing data, customers ultimately feel the impact. The solution isn’t choosing one tool over the other, but strategically integrating them together. This article explores the differences between ServiceNow and Salesforce, the areas of overlap between them, and the benefits of integration with the goal of maximizing efficiency and customer satisfaction. Source: ServiceNow In this article: Salesforce and ServiceNow: An overview Use cases for integrating customer service operations Choosing the right integration tool for your business Customizing your integration experience The future of CRM and service management Salesforce or ServiceNow – Why not have both? FAQ: Salesforce and ServiceNow Salesforce vs. ServiceNow: An overview Salesforce and ServiceNow have each carved their niche, offering a unique set of features and functionalities that cater to different business needs. Salesforce rose from customer relationship management (CRM), focused on sales and external interactions. ServiceNow emerged as an internal IT service management (ITSM) platform. Both now offer wider functionality with modular add-ons. Other areas of overlap include optional native integrations, in-depth customization options for tailoring each instance to an organization’s preferences and brand, as well as a subscription model based on license fees. Customer service management needs more than a cloud After establishing itself as a premiere CRM, Salesforce expanded its cloud-themed modules with Service Cloud, a crucial extension for Salesforce users seeking a comprehensive customer support tool. With additional features such as intelligent case routing, customer feedback analysis, and automation capabilities, Service Cloud is clearly designed to compete with other ITSM solutions. But it’s still an add-on to a larger platform with the purpose of connecting marketing and sales. If you’re a martech leader, that can be a tough sell to your head of IT or CIO. Service now? CRM vs. CSM On the other hand, ServiceNow’s core functionalities center on automating ops for business users with modules that cover service level agreements, incident management, and asset management. Source: ServiceNow ServiceNow’s Customer Service Management (CSM) module streamlines issue resolution, provides agents with a unified workspace, and powers self-service options for customers. However, its deep focus on internal operations and IT service doesn’t always support customer journeys that extend beyond technical troubleshooting. A full CRM provides rich customer history, purchase data, lead information, and marketing insights rarely available in ServiceNow. These features give users immediate answers and facilitate the resolution of IT issues without direct IT support staff involvement, thus enhancing organizational productivity. They also contribute to improved IT decision-making. Choosing the right integration tool for your business This critical decision requires careful examination of the tool’s features, scalability, security, ease of use, and compatibility with other applications. Some key features to consider when choosing an integration tool are: Data encryption Two-factor authentication Real-time alerts Intelligent workflows Security orchestration Automated response engine Both Salesforce and ServiceNow offer these critical security aspects, making them good options for integration. “Some other tools we looked at were kind of crazy when it came to pricing. Another big thing for us is 2-way sync for our Salesforce instance. Most of those options only offer directional sync and Unito is bidirectional, which is what we really needed. Plus they offered the best pricing for us at this stage.” – Anel Behric, IT Manager, Cloudwerx Read the Case Study ServiceNow Integration Hub ServiceNow Integration Hub operates on the Now Platform, enabling process owners and developers to build reusable “spokes” and integration “actions” that interact with external platforms from ServiceNow®. However, Integration Hub requires in-depth knowledge of scripting languages and can be very time-intensive. Want to know how ServiceNow Integration Hub compares to Unito? Get our full guide here. Mulesoft Composer for Salesforce MuleSoft Composer is part of the broader MuleSoft Anypoint Platform, offering wider integration potential alongside tools like RPA (Robotic Process Automation). Designed primarily for Salesforce administrators who want to streamline automation within Salesforce, it provides a no-code interface, pre-built connectors, and guided templates to empower Salesforce users to build automations without relying heavily on IT support. Curious about how Mulesoft Composer compares to Unito? Check out our full guide. Unito 2-Way Sync Platform Unito is a new, simpler approach to integration powered by live 2-way sync. It allows for secure 2-way connections between 50+ industry-leading apps and tools, including ServiceNow and Salesforce. Key features include: Bidirectional integrations Custom workflow automation Field mapping Flexible rule creation Reduction of repetitive tasks These considerations will guide businesses in choosing an integration tool that not only facilitates seamless integration but also aligns with their unique business needs and operational requirements. With the right tool, businesses can fully leverage the benefits of Salesforce and ServiceNow integration. Learn how to Connect Salesforce and ServiceNow with Unito Get the guide Use cases for integrating customer service operations Customer data, product catalogs, and service catalogs are the lifeblood of both Salesforce and ServiceNow, yet often exist in frustrating silos. Integration solutions like Unito can ensure this vital information is always up-to-date and consistent by syncing Salesforce and ServiceNow data. This eliminates discrepancies that cause delays and customer frustration. For example, if someone in your organization changes a customer address in Salesforce, that change can be automatically synced to a matching record in ServiceNow. Similarly, product catalog synchronization can enable sales teams and support reps to see the same product details and availability, and prevent miscommunications and failed orders. Integrating ServiceNow with Salesforce can bring about massive change in the way businesses handle customer data and collaborate between IT departments and the rest of the organization. Unito’s 2-way Salesforce ServiceNow integration, for example, supports an automated end-to-end customer journey with updates syncing in real-time. Coordinating with accurate customer data Imagine if your IT department could create ServiceNow incidents that automatically create corresponding Salesforce cases. Then, manual changes to one would appear instantly in the other, ensuring seamless visibility between platforms. Meanwhile, customer support agents can provide accurate, timely information to end users as the internal IT department works on each incident, ticket, or record. That’s exactly how Unito works. Best of all? It’s entirely no-code, so you don’t need advanced knowledge of scripting languages and you can integrate your tools faster. Case to case in the ServiceNow-Salesforce service cloud Conversely, critical customer insights or escalations captured within Salesforce can be relayed back to the ServiceNow team as synced records. So the IT department can more effectively diagnose and resolve underlying issues. This no-code 2-way solution is optimal for minimizing data-related human error, supporting the customer experiences in a large-scale enterprise through automation, and simplifying data sharing between departments. The future of CRM and service management Salesforce automation tools, including Einstein AI or Apex, offer time-saving business process automation in case classification and activities. The upcoming integration of Einstein for Formulas and Einstein for Flow into their platform represents an advanced step in AI technology aiding CRM tasks. Source: Salesforce ServiceNow, in contrast, enhances efficiency by automating routine UI-centric tasks, using out-of-the-box automation solutions and predictive intelligence for incident ticketing and assignment. Incorporating AI into your automation Meanwhile, ServiceNow’s AI can enhance support experiences by drawing on customer sentiment analysis and purchase data from Salesforce. Imagine a scenario where escalation predictions in ServiceNow are improved because of a 2-way integration that sends Salesforce data directly to your ServiceNow AI. The AI then sees a customer’s recent negative feedback and dwindling engagement within Salesforce and offers solutions for you to respond quickly. These advancements illustrate the innovative strides both Salesforce and ServiceNow are making in shaping the future of CRM and service management. Salesforce vs. ServiceNow – Why not have both? While either tool can be used for IT management, operations, or CRM optimization, each has its specialties that the other lacks. Salesforce excels in fostering strong relationships with customers through deep data on customer interactions, sales, and marketing. Its specialized customer engagement tools make it ideal for sales teams needing visibility into their pipeline, marketing teams executing targeted campaigns, and organizations building community portals for collaboration. ServiceNow specializes in automating internal operations, managing IT services, and boosting productivity across departments. Optimal use cases for ServiceNow include managing internal infrastructure, handling field service requests, and providing IT services to customers. That’s why integrating the two tools is usually the best approach. Integration security and privacy Security and privacy are paramount concerns in any data integration process. Salesforce’s Permission Set security model is designed for granular access control. That, and data safeguards including protection by Amazon Web Services and internal servers, ensures that your data is well-protected from security vulnerabilities during the integration process. Evaluating the security features of integration tools is crucial; organizations should verify they offer strong encryption, secure APIs, and compliance with industry standards like GDPR or HIPAA. Unito’s security and privacy measures include best-in-class practices and procedures, including SOC 2 Type 2 Certification. These measures ensure that your data is not only secure but also privacy-protected during the integration process. Frequently Asked Questions: Salesforce and ServiceNow Can you use ServiceNow as a CRM? Sort of! ServiceNow can be used as a CSM which contains features that allow it to act as a CRM and sales system, despite being primarily an ITSM software. It may not be as effective as a dedicated CRM, but it has some functionality in common with CRM systems. Do Salesforce or ServiceNow offer their own integrations? Salesforce and ServiceNow both offer powerful low-code development platforms that enable customization to align with business needs, with Salesforce also allowing code-level modifications for greater specificity. This customization offers benefits in automating processes, syncing functionality, and managing complex integrations. The Now Platform enhances the integration experience with fully customizable forms, fields, and lists, as well as localized information presentation for global users including diverse languages and currencies. Organizations can enable seamless integration by utilizing the following tools: Workflow mapping and automation tools such as Unito Platforms offering intuitive data mapping Legacy system integration connectors Training and support resources How are Salesforce and ServiceNow typically priced to customers? One critical factor to consider when evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of Salesforce and ServiceNow is their pricing structures. Salesforce provides three primary pricing models: Basic plans like Service and Sales Cloud Starter Suite begin at $25/month per user. The ‘Professional edition costs $80/month per user. Salesforce enterprise plans begin at $165/month per user. On the other hand, ServiceNow’s pricing is often only quoted by custom request. Though according to Capterra, the basic plan begins at $100/month per user. This does not include implementation costs or license fees, though discounts may apply with factors such as industry, region, company size, and selected products affecting the total implementation cost. Understanding these pricing structures can help businesses make an informed decision about which platform best suits their budget and needs. Why is ServiceNow so popular? ServiceNow is popular due to its versatility, customization options, and powerful features for automating workflows, managing incidents, and providing real-time visibility into IT operations. It enables businesses to tailor it to their specific needs, making it a highly sought-after platform. What is Salesforce and ServiceNow in Accenture? Salesforce FSL is a unified platform that connects the workforce, products, and customers into one platform to streamline field service operations, while ServiceNow FSM is an integrated system of action that connects customers and employees to ensure exceptional customer experience in the field. Both platforms are used in Accenture’s operations to enhance field service management. What is the purpose of ServiceNow? ServiceNow serves as a platform for automating various management workflows in enterprises, specializing in IT service management, IT operations management, and IT business management. This allows businesses to fuel strategic growth and offer automated, user-friendly solutions for different operational areas (such as security operations, customer service management, human resources, facilities, and business applications). Is ServiceNow the same as Salesforce? No, ServiceNow is a cloud-based application platform (PaaS) service, while Salesforce is a cloud-based CRM platform. ServiceNow serves as a platform for creating custom applications and automating workflow, while Salesforce is primarily focused on customer relationship management. Contrasting Salesforce’s customer-centric focus, ServiceNow streamlines internal business processes. This platform is designed to enhance productivity across multiple departments and improve overall IT services management. It employs AI and machine learning to: automate risk assessment smart ticket routing predict success of IT changes provide AI tools like chatbots These features optimize the handling of IT issues and enhance user experiences. Source: ServiceNow ServiceNow offers the following features and capabilities, including a self service portal and service cloud, as part of their service management process and service management tool: Self-service portals Chatbots Workflow automation Comprehensive Configuration Management Database (CMDB) system Dynamic workflows tailored for organizations Integrated approach to cybersecurity incidents What are some of the core features of Salesforce? This powerhouse platform offers a variety of robust customer relationship management features such as lead management, sales and marketing management, and reporting that cater to a range of customer needs. Businesses can leverage its CRM features, like lead scoring, nurturing, and crafting lead records from form submissions, to convert leads into sales and manage opportunities. Here’s how to sync Salesforce to Google Sheets with Unito. Moreover, the customer relationship management platform facilitates optimal customer service management, customer services, customer data, and contact management throughout the customer lifecycle, storing essential customer details and managing workflows across multiple teams to provide a seamless customer experience while addressing customer queries. Ready to Sync Salesforce and ServiceNow? Book a demo View the full article

I happened to catch some of the Grammy Awards last night, and while pop, rap, and country definitely took center stage, it was the Best Rock Performance category that most caught my attention. The award went to The Beatles for their song "Now and Then," which is a confusing sentence in 2025. You might be aware The Beatles operated largely in the 1960s, not the 2020s, and seeing as only half the group is still alive, winning a Grammy for a new song might sound a bit strange. Nevertheless, the song is new—at least, as new as a Beatles song can be. The track dropped towards the end of 2023, and is built from a demo John Lennon recorded shortly before his death. In the '90s, the living three Beatles members (Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison) attempted to finish the song, but never completed it, as the original audio quality was too poor. Modern technology, however, made it possible to create the product you hear today. I love The Beatles, but the song itself isn't really what I paid attention to. (I didn't really give it much thought until Sunday.) Instead, an announcer made it clear the song was produced with AI, a statement that, in 2025, elicits anything from an eye roll to a heavy sigh from this tech editor. AI-generated music is very much a reality today. While there are some convincing results from these AI-generated tools, there are plenty of tells to look out for. The idea that The Beatles would put out a song with some level of AI generation didn't sit well with me, and I bet many others out there. However, it's important to note the difference between AI-generated, and AI-produced. They sound the same, but they're not. I want to be clear: "Now and Then" is not an AI-generated song: No one is tapping AI to recreate the voice of John Lennon to make another award-winning song. Not that kind of AIAI doesn't just mean the artificially generated content we're all accustomed to. While it feels like AI took over our lives with the introduction of ChatGPT in late 2022, companies have embedded the tech in our products and services for a lot longer than that. AI is, perhaps, a bit of a misnomer. In this context, machine learning is a bit more accurate. Machine learning is, very simply, when a program is able to adapt and grow based on the data it experiences—similar to how our minds work. You feed the program training data, and it adjusts its assumptions and outputs accordingly. While the actual process is much more complicated than this, machine learning empowers programs to do some great things. One of those things is audio track separation: Part of the reason the "Now and Then" project was shelved was because they couldn't properly mix the song, since Lennon's original recording was so rough. But using an audio editing tool powered with machine learning, producers were able to separate Lennon's vocals from the piano. Neither the piano nor the vocals were generated with AI—rather, the tool was able to break these tracks apart, so producers, along with the two living Beatles, could build upon them to record, mix, and ship a completed song. McCartney posted as much on X the summer before releasing the song: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. For many reasons, I'm happy this "AI Beatles song" didn't artificially bring back John Lennon. It's genuinely sweet to have a song Lennon started decades ago, properly finished by his former bandmates, with Lennon's son accepting the award on the band's behalf. The music video, on the other hand, definitely pushes things a bit further, juxtaposing archival footage of deceased Beatles members John Lennon and George Harrison alongside current footage of McCartney and Starr. (It was produced by Peter Jackson, who both produced Now and Then, as well as the 2021 Beatles documentary Get Back.) Still, it's more weird than anything else, and certainly isn't a product purporting to represent reality—as opposed to much of the AI-generated content you encounter in the wild. View the full article

Survey will alarm ruling party and the Tories ahead of local elections in MayView the full article

Paying more and getting less seems to be standard operating procedure these days. Certainly that’s what Microsoft 365 (the fancy new name for Microsoft Office) users are about to experience, as the service's included VPN is being dropped as of February 28. According to a support note on the Microsoft site, the company “routinely evaluate[s] the usage and effectiveness of our features” and has decided that the VPN is no longer a necessary part of Microsoft 365. As VPNs go, it was only OKIn truth, it’s not a major loss. Microsoft’s VPN came with a 50GB monthly data limit and didn’t allow you to trick your browser into thinking you were elsewhere in the world, making it arguably less useful than even some of the best free VPNs. It obscured your traffic, sure, but not much else. Still, it’s a bit of a slap in the face, as it follows the first Microsoft 365 subscription price hike in 12 years. Both the Personal and Family plans now cost $3 more per month, a roughly 43% increase. Supposedly the increases are justified by the addition of limited Copilot AI features, which used to involve paying for a $20 add-on. That add-on still exists if the limited AI credits included with the new subscriptions aren’t enough for you, but my fellow AI skeptics have only one way to avoid paying more for the now VPN-less service: For the next 12-months, existing subscribers can downgrade to a “Microsoft 365 Personal Classic” or “Microsoft 365 Family Classic” plan, which has all the same features as the current plans, minus AI (and the VPN, of course). The company says it’s "assessing the length of availability of these subscriptions,” though, so they may not be around for long. New customers, meanwhile, have no choice but to go along with the new prices. On the plus side, despite its lack of a VPN, the current 365 plan does still include identity theft protection and credit monitoring. View the full article

January was a long month, but we finally have some good news in 2025: Bookseller Barnes & Noble plans to open at least 60 new stores this year, topping last year’s record of 57 stores and marking a steady revival of its brick-and-mortar bookstores across the country. “[Barnes & Noble] is experiencing strong sales in its existing stores and has been opening many new stores after more than 15 years of declining store numbers,” the company told Fast Company. “In 2024, Barnes & Noble opened more new bookstores in a single year than it had in the whole decade from 2009 to 2019 . . . [The company] is enjoying a period of tremendous growth as the strategy to hand control of each bookstore to its local booksellers has proven so successful.” As Fast Company previously reported, after more than a decade of shuttering locations, ultimately closing 150 locations, the chain started ramping up again in 2023 with some 30 new stores, then opened another 57 stores last year alone. Some of the new stores that will be opening this year will be in prime retail locations, like a new D.C. flagship store in upscale Georgetown. 2025 marks a new era for Barnes & Noble and other bookstores thanks to a few factors, including digital fatigue, TikTok’s #BookTok, the loneliness epidemic, and a rise in so-called ‘third spaces’ (more on that below). But first, here’s a list of the cities and states where Barnes and Noble will be opening new locations in 2025. New Barnes & Noble locations already open in 2025 Bellevue, WA Town & Country, TX Naples, FL Superior, CO Brentwood, CA Barnes & Noble locations yet to open in 2025 Barnes & Noble told Fast Company the chain also currently has 37 leases signed for upcoming stores in the following states: California Florida Colorado Texas Washington Pennsylvania Ohio Virgina New York Nebraska Michigan Illinois Connecticut Arizona New Hampshire Maryland Kansas Barnes & Noble also added that it has a number of other leases in the works. It did not offer a timeline for when its new locations will open. Why is there a bookstore revival? While it might seem counterintuitive in this age of digital consumption, when people are often buried in their phones, bookstores and books are actually making a comeback. One major reason is the rise of TikTok’s community of avid readers, #BookTok, which has been credited with helping authors sell millions of books, and has evolved into one of the more popular corners of the platform, with creators making videos of book hauls, reviews, and bookcase setups, and swapping recommendations. “Since the rise of BookTok during the pandemic, bookstores have seen a significant surge in popularity, especially among young people,” Barnes & Noble told Fast Company. “Our stores have become popular social spots, offering an experience that online shopping simply can’t match.” There’s also a recent rise in third spaces, which are gathering places outside of work and home where people can go to be around other people or meet friends, like coffee shops, bars, and gyms. With loneliness and isolation at an all-time high, people are returning to these third spaces, including bookstores because they are free and safe environments stocked with reading material, and often coffee—which draws in more visitors (this is why many newer bookstores have added coffee areas and made the space more inviting). Bookstores also offer a way to be around like-minded people who have similar interests. That’s why, around the country, niche bookstores—romance bookstores in particular—are also booming. In fact, more than 20 have opened in the last few years, up from just two in 2020. One of those is Lovestruck Books, which just opened smack in the center of Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The delightfully decorated store has over 12,000 books, in addition to a retail area with candles, tea, stationery, and a George Howell Coffee shop. (Author’s note: Yes, I’ll admit that I’ve been there—and ended up staying for an hour. I highly recommend finding a bookstore near you!) View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Unsightly water stains will kill the vibes in even the most beautiful bathroom, to say nothing of what they do to the look of other parts of your home. From shower humidity to internal leaks and ventilation problems, these stains have all kinds of causes. But after you’ve identified what made the mark on your wall in the first place, you still need to remove it without making the problem worse. Water stains typically won't appear on tile; they need a more absorbent surface, which is why they show up on bare walls. Since your walls are probably painted, this presents a problem: How can you wash a wall without damaging it and risk needing to repaint the entire room? A few days ago, I was presented with this very issue when I noticed a water mark on my walls. How did it get there? Hell if I know; it's always something around here. As a renter, I wanted to remove it without causing more damage. Method #1: Soap and waterBefore you try anything more complicated, experiment with a simple solution of dish soap and warm water, at a ratio of about one to two. Use a cloth dipped in the mixture to apply the soapy water to your stain. Gently rub it in from the top down, then rinse with plain water and dry thoroughly with a hair dryer on a cool setting. I gave this a shot, scrubbing at half the stain with a soapy water mix. The stain faded somewhat, but it wasn't really magical and it required a lot of elbow grease on my part. I don't own this home, so I resent having to break a sweat here. I moved on to the next step. Method #2: Lemon juice, vinegar, and baking sodaIf that doesn’t work—like it didn't for me—I tried a mixture of vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda. This is a classic solution that goes a little like this: Shake it up and spray it on the stain. Leave it for about an hour, then use a damp cloth to rub it away. You may have to repeat this process a few times to get the stain all the way out, so do this when you have time for multiple hour-long soaking intervals. So this worked—but it came at a price. As I was filling my container, I forgot every lesson I learned in third-grade science class. It bubbled up and out of the bottle all over my table. My dining area reeks like vinegar now. Eventually, the reaction calmed down and I was able to proceed with the wall-cleaning. And it worked: The rubbing required was also significantly less than when I was going the soap-and-water route. I easily cleared the half of the stain I designated for this test, then used the excess on my rag to go over the other side again, too. The stain disappeared and I went back over everything with a dry rag to make sure I didn't leave any wetness behind and cause any more problems on an already problematic day. Method #3: Lemon juice and waterAfter I finished this method, however, I found a lot of online conversation about how vinegar and baking soda cancel each other out, as baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid. Which makes sense. (Again, I have forgotten my grade-school science lessons.) My conclusion, then: The lemon juice is what helped me. If soap and water aren't working for you, you can try adding four tablespoons of lemon to a cup of water and using that first. Here's a triptych of my progress, though the stains were light enough that this image isn't going to win any awards for contrast. Still, you can see that the middle picture, which shows my attempt to clear the left part of the stain with soap and water, is nowhere near as streak-free as the right picture, which shows what I got out of using the bubbled-up lemon juice/vinegar/baking soda combo. Me vs. water stain Credit: Lindsey Ellefson How to get water stains out of woodIf you have wood paneling or cabinets that have water stains, too, you have a few options for removing the marks on your wooden surfaces. You can cover the stain in mayonnaise and let it sit on there overnight, then wipe it away in the morning and polish your wood afterward. You can also mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply to the stain with a cloth, wiping in the direction of the grain until the stain disappears. Afterward, wipe the surface down with a clean, dry cloth. Try placing an iron on a low heat setting over a cloth on top of the stain. Press it down for a few seconds and remove it to see if the stain is letting up, then try again until you’re satisfied. (Be advised that this works best for still-damp stains.) View the full article