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Google’s Ads and Commerce product lead, Vidhya Srinivasan, today outlined how the company is reimagining advertising as “avenues for tailored exploration” in response to unpredictable consumer behavior. The big picture: Google is focusing on three key solutions to help advertisers break through: AI-powered shopping innovations. Google launched several new shopping features, including ads in Lens, AI-powered Google Shopping, 3D product spins, and virtual try-on experiences for clothing items. YouTube creator partnerships. The platform’s highly engaged audiences, particularly Gen Z, trust creator recommendations 98% more than those on other social platforms (according to Google figures). Google is developing more interactive ads with the aim of helping brands connect with relevant creators. Enhanced search experiences. AI-powered features like AI Overviews, Circle to Search, and Google Lens are expanding the types of questions people can ask. These new search capabilities has potential for increased commercial query volume. Why we care. As consumer behavior becomes increasingly fragmented across devices and platforms, Google is betting on AI to help advertisers create more personalized, relevant content that can break through the noise. With consumers rapidly switching between devices and platforms, these AI-powered solutions have the potential to help advertisers maintain visibility throughout the entire customer journey, from discovery to purchase, while leveraging trusted creator relationships that drive higher engagement, particularly among younger audiences. Although it is still key to ensure that adequate human intervention still remains as AI capabilities keep improving and evolving. By the numbers (according to Google internal research): People shop more than a billion times daily across Google Consumers used Google or YouTube in approximately two-thirds of purchases where they discovered something new YouTube viewers watch over 1 billion hours of content daily on TVs Google processes more than 5 trillion searches annually (416 billion searches per month) Between the lines. Srinivasan’s letter emphasizes that simply creating compelling content isn’t enough. Brands need to “show up everywhere people are, from discovery to decision” to capture attention in today’s fragmented media landscape. Bottom line. Srinivasan points to several AI-powered advertising innovations already launched, including ads in Lens, AI-powered shopping, 3D spins for ad images, and virtual try-on features for clothing, with promises of “much more to come.” Google is positioning itself as the solution to fragmented consumer attention by helping brands create more relevant content and appear at critical moments across the customer journey, from discovery to purchase decision. View the full article

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

Election of Donald Trump and British tax changes are believed to be behind 40% rise in applicationsView the full article

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

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

The CIA is headed to the South By Southwest festival to share tips on finding innovative solutions to complex challenges. America’s preeminent spy agency will deliver a presentation Sunday on creative problem solving at the annual SXSW music festival and tech conference held in Austin, Texas, the CIA announced Monday. The typically tight-lipped agency said a CIA historian and one of the agency’s public affairs officers will deliver the talk, entitled “Mission Possible: The Spies’ Guide to Creative Problem Solving.” Sunday’s presentation from the CIA comes during the first weekend of the event, which brings together thousands of artists, technology experts, business leaders and entrepreneurs. The agency said its tips on creative problem solving are designed to be helpful to anyone, even if their particular challenges don’t include running covert surveillance, organizing clandestine meetups or sniffing out double agents. “Come learn how creative problem-solving has helped resolve complex challenges we’ve faced in protecting national security, and how you can apply creative thinking to your own seemingly impossible missions,” the agency wrote in a social media post promoting the talk. This month’s presentation comes at a tumultuous time for America’s intelligence community. The agency recently offered buyout offers to employees as part of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to shrink and reshape the federal government. Trump has long criticized America’s intelligence agencies, and his CIA director, John Ratcliffe, has promised big changes, claiming the agency has strayed from its original focus on human-collected intelligence. Ratcliffe is a former congressman and one-time director of national intelligence. —David Klepper View the full article

The U.S. House and Senate have until March 14 to avoid a shutdown of the federal government. And at the moment, things are not looking good. Donald Trump is pushing Republicans to approve a massive bill that would extend tax breaks from his first term (which are set to expire later this year) to the tune of $4.5 trillion and dramatically cut spending across federal programs and services (by $2.5 trillion). House Speaker Mike Johnson managed to push through Trump’s legislative agenda at the last moment last Wednesday, but that 217-215 vote (which saw a single Republican and all Democrats opposed) could prove to be the easiest part of the process. The Senate has passed a scaled-back version of the budget bill, meaning a series of negotiations must take place to find common ground. Democrats can block the bill in the Senate with a filibuster, so they’ll be in on the negotiations. But with the clock ticking on when funds run out, Republican negotiators, divided by in-fighting, walked away from the talks this weekend. There is, of course, the chance that lawmakers will agree to a bipartisan continuing resolution, a spending measure that will keep the government operating. That seems increasingly unlikely, however, as Washington becomes more turbulent and Elon Musk and DOGE continue to push for mass layoffs. So what happens if the government shuts down for the first time since 2018-2019? Here’s what to expect, based on previous shutdowns—with the caveat that this administration’s first 41 days have been markedly different than under any previous president, including Trump’s first term. Will I still get my Social Security check if the government shuts down? Social Security checks are still delivered in the event of a shutdown. And Medicare services will stay in operation for at least a limited time. However, if you need a new card issued, you’ll have to wait until the shutdown is over and any backlog is cleared. Are my taxes still due in a government shutdown? While the Internal Revenue Service will be operating with a skeleton staff should the government shut down, it will continue to process tax returns, meaning you’ll have to file, no matter what. Will I get my tax refund if the government shuts down? In the 2018-2019 shutdown, 14,000 IRS employees opted not to show up for work without pay. Should the government shut down—and should that closure last for an extended period—that could have an impact on some refunds. The best idea is to monitor the “Where’s My Refund” tool on the IRS Website. Will a government shutdown impact mail delivery? The U.S. Postal Service is an independent agency. The shutdown will have no impact on it. There have been reports that Trump is considering taking control of the Postal Service, ending its independent status and making it a part of the Commerce Department. Should that happen, things become murkier, especially with the expected legal fight such a move would ignite. Can I visit national parks during a government shutdown? During the government shutdown in January 2018, most national parks remained open, though visitor centers and sometimes bathrooms were not available. Trash also piled up at many sites, with no one to clean it. During the 2013 shutdown, however, millions of visitors were turned away from parks, national monuments, and other sites. So, this one’s a toss-up. How will a government shutdown affect air travel? TSA officers and FAA air traffic controllers are deemed “essential” federal workers, so they continue to work (without pay) during a shutdown. In 2019, though, hundreds of TSA employees called out sick, which made for tremendously long lines at security stations (in some cases, as much as 90 minutes). Can I visit the Smithsonian during a government shutdown? While the Smithsonian has, in the past, discussed using “prior year funds” to stay open during part of a shutdown, odds are you’ll find locked doors in the event of a shutdown. Other popular attractions, including presidential libraries, will also likely be affected, as they’re overseen by the National Park Service. While animals in the National Zoo will be cared for, visitors won’t be allowed in to see them. Other federal museums, such as the National Archives, will also be closed. Will Veterans’ Services be impacted by a government shutdown? All Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities and clinics will remain open and operational in the event of a shutdown. Additionally, the VA will continue to process veterans’ benefits. Other services, such as education and job training, support for veteran owned businesses, and even assistance for homeless veterans may be unavailable. Will DOGE use a government shutdown to terminate more federal jobs? Elon Musk and DOGE haven’t commented publicly about any possible shutdown. But there are some fears that federal workers deemed “non-essential” in such a situation could find themselves more likely to be laid off at some point down the road. One of the biggest sticking points in current negotiations, though, is the spending and job cuts DOGE has imposed since Trump took office. Democrats are demanding guardrails in the budget bill, which will require the executive branch to carry out spending directed by Congress. “We are close on top-line spending. We need to know Republicans are willing to work with us to protect Congress’ power of the purse — and I welcome any and all ideas they may have on how we can work together to do just that,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., vice chair of the Appropriations Committee, told reporters last week. “That is the absolute bare minimum, and it is frankly not asking a whole lot. Republicans should not be so eager to let Elon Musk cut off cancer research or clean energy jobs in their districts. They should not follow Elon towards a shutdown.” View the full article

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

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

Google processes more than 5 trillion searches per year. This is the first time Google has publicly shared such a figure since 2016, when the company confirmed it was handling “more than 2 trillion” queries annually. By the numbers. Google revealed the new figure in a blog post today, saying it is based on internal Google data: “We already see more than 5 trillion searches on Google annually.” Google added another tidbit in the same blog post: that “the volume of commercial queries has increased” since the launch of AI Overviews. However, Google didn’t share any data or a percentage to explain how much commercial queries have increased. Searches per second, minute, day and month. Now that we have an updated figure, we can also estimate how many Google searches there are pretty much down to the second. Here’s a breakdown based on this new Google data point: Searches per second: 158,548 Searches per minute: 9.5 million. Searches per hour: 571 million. Searches per day: 14 billion. Searches per month: 417 billion. Searches per year: More than 5 trillion. Google searches per year, over time. Curious about how the number of Google search queries has grown over time, at least based on what Google self-reported? Here’s a brief recap: 1999: 1 billion. This figure was based on 3 million searches per day, reported in August 1999 by John Battelle in his book, “The Search.” 2000: 14 billion. This figure was based on 18 million searches per day for the first half of 2000 and 60 million for the second half, as reported by Battelle. 2001–2003: 55 billion+. This figure was based on reports by Google for its Zeitgeist in 2001, 2002 and 2003. 2004–2008: 73 billion. This figure was based on Google saying it was doing 200 million searches per day in 2004. After that, it said only “billions” in Google Zeitgeist for 2005 and 2007. No updates were shared in 2006 or 2008. 2009: 365 billion+. A Google blog post, Google Instant, behind the scenes, said Google was doing more than 1 billion searches per day. No updates for 2010 or 2011) 2012–2015: 1.2 trillion. This figure is based on a 100-billion-per-month figure Google released during a special press briefing on search in 2012. Google repeated this figure in 2015, when expressing it as 3 billion searches per day. 2016-2024: 2 trillion+. Google confirmed to Search Engine Land that because it said it handles “trillions” of searches per year worldwide, the figure could be safely assumed to be 2 trillion or above. 2025: 5 trillion+. This figure is based on internal Google data and was reported in Google’s blog post, AI, personalization and the future of shopping. Why we care. Since 2016, we’ve known that Google processes “at least 2 trillion” searches per year. Now, nearly nine years later, we have a new official figure from Google for how many searches are conducted on Google annually: 5 trillion. View the full article

Cryptocurrency prices jumped after President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement he wants the U.S. government to purchase and hold a variety of digital assets in a strategic reserve fund, an announcement that highlights Trump’s growing attempts to use volatile cryptocurrency prices as a barometer of his public support. Trump said on social media Sunday that his administration is working toward creating a “Crypto Strategic Reserve” that will include lesser-known cryptocurrencies XRP, solana, and cardano. He later followed up with another post saying his planned reserve would also include bitcoin and ether, the two most popular cryptocurrencies. The announcement helped crypto prices rebound, at least temporarily, after recent sell-offs. Bitcoin was trading around $90,000 Monday morning after dipping below $80,000 last week. XRP, solana and cardano saw massive spikes in their prices after Trump’s announcement Sunday followed by a more gradual decline through Monday morning. On the campaign trail, Trump pledged support for a “strategic national bitcoin” stockpile, which would include bitcoin the U.S. government has previously seized in law enforcement actions. Sunday’s announcement was the first time he advocated for the government to hold other types of cryptocurrencies. The White House did not immediately provide additional details, including how much of each type of cryptocurrency Trump wanted the U.S. to hold, and how the government would acquire them, and whether he favored including other types of cryptocurrencies as well. Eric Trump, the president’s son, said the price increases validated the recent advice he’s made on social media to stock up on crypto assets. “Hopefully, I made someone’s life just a little bit better,” he posted on social media. The president has cast himself as hero to the crypto industry, which he said in his announcement had been the target of “years of corrupt attacks by the Biden administration.” The crypto industry felt unfairly targeted by the Biden administration and spent heavily to help Trump win election. The first several weeks of his administration have seen several moves to boost crypto, including ending or pausing high-profile enforcement actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Crypto prices soared after Trump’s victory last year, and when the price of bitcoin first crossed $100,000 in early December, Trump took credit and posted “YOU’RE WELCOME!!!” on social media. But prices have fallen since Trump’s inauguration and Trump has faced criticism, including from allies within the crypto industry, for helping launch a personal meme coin just before he took office that has since collapsed in value. The crash of meme coins linked to First Lady Melania Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei, along with a massive hack of a major cryptocurrency exchange that the FBI has said was done by North Korea, have also dimmed enthusiasm for crypto. “Why is crypto in the toilet if Trump is crypto king?” Dave Portnoy, an influencer and crypto enthusiast, said on social media last week. The inclusion of cryptocurrencies other than bitcoin is likely to face sustained pushback among some corners of the heavily divided cryptocurrency industry. Bitcoin is the oldest and by far most popular cryptocurrency, and accounts for more than half of the world’s global crypto market cap. Advocates for the government holding a crypto reserve said would help diversify government holdings and hedge against financial risks. Critics say the volatility of cryptocurrencies makes them a poor choice as a reserve asset. In addition to his announcement Sunday, Trump has also recently announced he will speak at and host industry leaders on Friday at a White House “Crypto Summit.” —Alan Suderman, Associated Press View the full article

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

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

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

At a court hearing on Monday, lawyers for the Trump administration said statutorily-required work is being done by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, while the union claimed the government is trying to shut the agency down. View the full article

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

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

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

Data fuels fears that the economy is losing momentum as tariffs loomView the full article

Taking time off as a PM can feel impossible, but with the right planning, you can actually unplug without stress. From prepping your team to setting boundaries, this guide walks you through everything you need to ensure a smooth break. The post How To Unplug Without The Stress: A Project Manager’s Guide To Time Off appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. 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. Apple has been top dog in the premium tablet space for years, and the iPad Pro with an M4 chip released last year solidified their dominance. If you've been waiting for a discount on the best-performing tablet you can get, take your pick from the available options: You can get the 11-inch wifi version for $849 (originally $999) or the cellular version for $1,049 (originally $1,999) after getting an extra $50 off at checkout. The 13-inch wifi version is $1,099 (originally $1,299) and the cellular version is $1,299 (originally $1,499). These deals bring all versions down to the lowest prices these iPad models have been since their release, according to price-tracking tools. Apple iPad Pro 11-Inch (M4, Wifi) $899.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $999.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $899.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $999.00 Save $100.00 Apple iPad Pro 11-Inch (M4, Wifi + Cellular) $1,099.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,199.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,099.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,199.00 Save $100.00 Apple iPad Pro 13-Inch (M4, Wifi) $1,099.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,299.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,099.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,299.00 Save $200.00 Apple iPad Pro 13-Inch (M4, Wifi + Cellular) $1,299.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,499.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,299.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,499.00 Save $200.00 SEE 1 MORE The M4 is about 1.5 times faster than the M2, the chip used in the previous generation of iPads. That's a big difference for anyone looking to use their iPad for more than just navigating the web and streaming media apps. The 11-inch screen is an OLED display with a maximum brightness of 1,600 nits and a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1, making it ideal for creators who need to see accurate colors for pictures or videos. The processing power can easily handle heavy-duty apps like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, or Photoshop. A 120Hz refresh rate also means games will look smooth. As far as battery life, you can expect about 10 hours depending on your use, and a charge that takes about two hours to get to full. Keep in mind Apple switched to USB-C charging, and this iPad does not support wireless charging. If you don't get the cellular version, you'll be limited to wifi signal. You can get the Apple Pencil Pro and the Magic Keyboard if you want to complete the set, but of course, they're not necessary. If you're not going to be doing heavy work, the iPad Air will do just fine. But if you're looking for the best tablet to perform professional tasks, the iPad Pro M4 is at a great price right now. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I have a senior role in a large architecture and engineering company, and my partner is an academic. I sometimes ask him for advice on how to handle a thorny problem at work and occasionally ask him to read something I’ve written. My partner, on the other hand, regularly asks for my help in core aspects of his job — putting together a spreadsheet to organize marking for courses, fixing up formatting on PowerPoint slides, shortening grant applications to meet word-count requirements, drafting sensitive emails, etc. My partner also often talks through ideas for papers, which I really like doing. For some of these tasks, I am better at the software and can do them much more quickly, while for others my partner is asking for my help because he is slammed with work or has a tight deadline or needs another pair of hands and knows I will do a good job. On the one hand, it feels like partners in a marriage should help each other when needed but on the other hand, sometimes it feels like I’m doing the work for my partner, when I have my own demanding job to do. So my question is, what is the range of “normal” within relationships for how much spouses help each other with their jobs? The way you’re doing it — asking for advice on how to handle a thorny problem or to read over something you’ve written — is typical and fine. The way your partner is doing it — asking you to actually perform pieces of his job — is not. Some of it is the cumulative effect. It wouldn’t be a big deal if he asked you once for help fixing the formatting on a PowerPoint. But when he’s regularly asking you to do what’s essentially admin support, that crosses a line. You’re not his administrative assistant, and if he needs that kind of help, that’s a problem for his workplace to solve, not a burden he should expect you to take on. It’s definitely not appropriate to turn to you because he’s busy and “needs another pair of hands.” That’s work. That’s something his company is paying him for, not you, and maybe they need to pay someone who isn’t him but it should go to an employee, not a supportive partner who’s willing to do it for free. Moreover, in a lot of jobs, there would be enormous confidentiality problems with giving a non-employee access to those kinds of materials. You are not an “extra pair of hands” for your partner’s employer. You can be a sounding board and someone he can brainstorm with. You should not be doing his actual work. View the full article

Its Arc Home lending business made money in December and January as the company leans more into home equity originations, which helped financial performance. View the full article

Prime minister draws praise from Conservatives for his diplomatic efforts View the full article

If your team doesn't have balanced workloads, they'll miss deadlines, get burned out, and disengage from the project. Here's how to distribute work evenly, what to avoid, and tools you can use to make the process easier. The post How to Balance Your Team’s Workload appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article