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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accuses Beijing of doing nothing to stop Moscow enlisting its citizensView the full article

Washington scraps most tariffs against countries that have not retaliated but increases levies on China View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I supervise a team of seven, split between two offices. Sally is an employee in her early 20s working in the opposite office as myself. Sally is a slob. This is not typical workplace clutter. She leaves work and personal items all over the office — moldy food containers, piles of work items, boxes, etc. Her messes have taken up to an hour to clean up. Her own office is such a mess that she spreads her work out to all of the common areas in the office, and then leaves the common areas a mess. She has not responded to typical feedback or formal warnings, and the issue has been escalated to HR. Sally will be placed on a PIP next week. The other team members in that office, especially Susie, are understandably frustrated. The other two people on the team feel like they are stuck cleaning up Sally’s messes because they want the office to be presentable when clients visit. I have asked them several times to please not clean up after Sally. Instead, I have asked them to notify me, and I will drive in from the other office (a 15-minute drive) and address it with Sally directly. If Sally is out that day, I have told them that I will drive to the office and clean it myself. This has rarely happened — often, Susie will clean up the mess, and then call me frustrated. The HR process has been extremely slow, but the PIP is finally in progress and will be shared with Sally next week. I’m stuck on how I address this with Susie. She calls me almost daily, often in tears, to complain about Sally’s messes. Susie is rightfully frustrated that Sally’s mess impacts her own work. I always reiterate that I could be there within 15 minutes to have it cleaned up so it wasn’t Susie’s problem, but she always cleans it herself regardless. I always repeat to Susie that I am aware of the situation and it is being addressed. I am not willing to share much more than “it has been addressed” to protect Sally’s privacy. Susie has questioned me on if I have even talked to Sally about the issue. Because she isn’t seeing any changes in Sally’s behavior, she doesn’t believe it’s been addressed at all. I keep repeating “it has been addressed” or “I am working with my supervisor on a solution” hoping she will get the idea that HR has gotten involved. Furthermore, she continues to clean up Sally’s messes instead of calling me, which is making it hard for me to hold Sally accountable. How do I convince Susie that I am addressing the issue? I get the feeling she thinks I am ignoring the issue and losing trust in me, which is obviously not the case. She is becoming resentful of doing all of the cleaning, even though I have asked her outright multiple times to not. Aside from outright telling Susie that Sally is being put on a PIP (which I obviously wouldn’t do), how do I get her to trust me that this is being addressed? I’m at my wit’s end here. Well, first, I wouldn’t recommend using a PIP for something like this that’s so black and white. This isn’t a situation where Sally needs to build her skills or get better at follow-through on projects, or needs time to demonstrate that her work has changed. This is a very clear, “You cannot leave messes all over the office, period.” It’s closer to a conduct issue than a performance issue, and PIPs aren’t well-suited for those. Instead, you’re better off making your expectations clear, laying out the consequences if they’re not met, and then sticking to that. But it sounds like you’re being stymied by your organization’s HR, which is requiring a PIP, so here we are. The language you need to use with Susie is: “Every time you clean up Sally’s mess, it makes it harder for me to address the problem. The way to help get this resolved as quickly as possible is to alert me that it has happened and then leave it alone. Your cleaning it up is actively interfering with my ability to resolve it, so I need you to stop — that’s not negotiable. You cannot clean on Sally’s behalf anymore.” But you really, really need to pair that with something like, “I can promise you that I’m only asking this of you for a month and no longer.” Because if you’re asking Susie to work in messy chaos for months on end and not do anything about it herself, that’s unreasonable. Frankly, I might also pair it with, “I know it must seem like this should have been fixed by now. Our organization has policies that managers have to follow when there are issues like this. The only way I can take the action necessary is by allowing the messes to stay long enough that I personally can document them.” Because that’s the truth, and by trying to avoid spelling it out, you’re letting her think you’re just not taking any real action. It is not a violation of Sally’s privacy to spell this out for Susie. That said … Susie’s reaction to Sally’s messes sounds really intense. Calling you daily in tears? Unless there’s some missing context that makes that make sense (like that Sally’s mess is literally preventing Susie from being able to do her own job), that makes me wonder what more is going on, either with Susie personally or with the broader situation. I’m also curious how long this has been happening! If it’s dragged out for a year and Susie has been hearing “it has been addressed” for a year when it clearly hasn’t been addressed in a sufficient way, it’s understandable that she’s frustrated. Can you just move Sally to the office you’re in? Or work out of the office she’s in yourself for a while? Given the way HR seems to be tying your hands, you’re going to be able to deal with this a lot more effectively if you’re regularly in the same space that she is. View the full article

The move would allow the Chinese-owned steelmaker to prolong production at the remaining furnace at its Scunthorpe site View the full article

iPhone maker is facing one of the biggest threats to its business in yearsView the full article

Projects are delicate operations. There is so much that can impact them; a storm cutting off the supply chain, equipment failure or a labor dispute are merely three possible situations in a seemingly endless succession of risks. The risk response plan that you create to deal with these risks, which describes risk identification, assessment, and mitigation response strategies, could mean the success or failure of the project. It’s no wonder so much of project management is focused on risk! Controlling risk, having a risk response plan and implementing risk response strategies are methods to better manage your project and deliver success. Another way is to have project management software to plan and track your risk response strategies. /wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Risk-management-plan-template-1.jpg Get your free Risk Management Plan Template Use this free Risk Management Plan Template for Word to manage your projects better. Download Word File What Is a Project Risk? A project risk is an uncertain event that can potentially impact a project, either positively or negatively. Project managers need to create risk response plans that describe the risk mitigation strategies they will use to minimize the negative effect of risk events. What many don’t think about is that risk can also be good for a project. Negative risk? A blackout-causing storm that halts production. Positive risk? The price for the materials you need for your project has dropped considerably. In project management, negative risks are commonly referred to as threats, while positive risks are known as opportunities. Negative Risks (Threats) Positive Risks (Opportunities) Whatever type of risk you get, you want to have a risk register and a risk response plan for dealing with it. While it’s impossible to prepare for everything that might happen in a project, with the use of historical data, experience and luck, you can identify project risks that are likely to occur and then create a plan to respond to them. Identifying risks is only the beginning. You need project management software to manage those risks. ProjectManager is online software that can manage your risks in real time. View all of your risks from the project menu, create risks as tasks and assign them to your team. You can then set priorities, add tags and more. Feel free to set the risk status by using the pulldown menu. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/03/CTA-light-mode-risk-view.pngLearn more What Is Risk Response? Risk response refers to the actions taken to manage and address identified project risks in project management. When the risks are identified, analyzed and prioritized, the project team develops strategies and actions to help reduce the negative impact of threats or increase the likelihood or impact of opportunities. The goal is to bring the project’s overall risk exposure to an acceptable level to increase the chances of meeting project objectives. What Is a Risk Response Plan? A risk response plan is a document that explains the strategies that would be taken to mitigate negative project risks. It’s part of the larger risk management plan that is subsequently part of any project management plan. Risk response is just as it sounds. You’re responding to risks. To do so, project managers must work with stakeholders, secure resources for the risk response strategies and assign risk owners to deploy them. Before you respond to risk, you have to identify it. Risk identification is done in the project planning phase. While the definition of risk is uncertainty, that doesn’t mean that every potential risk to your project is going to come out of left field and surprise you. Good risk response starts with good risk identification. As noted above, you can figure out a lot of potential project risks by looking at similar projects you managed, talking to your experienced project team members about what they think could happen and reaching out to stakeholders and mentors. Why Is a Risk Response Plan Important in Project Management? Since risk happens, having a risk response plan is important. Managing a project is all about organizing activities to meet schedules and budget constraints. Project risks can impact that timeline and increase costs. The quicker you identify them and resolve any issues that come up, the more likely you are to deliver a successful project. Therefore, a risk response plan is a way to reduce or eliminate any threats to the project. It can also be used to increase the opportunity offered by positive risk. That is, if there are positive risks that can help the project, a well-thought-out plan sets up how to quickly gain as much advantage from it as you can. Sometimes, risks are not going to be resolved. The risk response is also a way to put a contingency plan into action. That is, have a Plan B when you can’t proceed the way you have been in the project. Again, a risk response plan gives the project manager options. It provides awareness of the many risks that might occur in the project and provides various means of addressing them. Free Risk Response Plan Template Identifying and managing risk is made easier with a reliable process. This free risk management plan template will help you build a risk response strategy by addressing the fundamentals of risk management. This Word document will help you identify risks, propose a risk breakdown structure and more. Download yours today. /wp-content/uploads/2023/09/risk-management-plan-template-for-word-screenshot-600x564.jpg Types of Risk Response Strategies We’ve talked a lot about having a risk response to address positive and negative risks as they show up in your project. That’s where a risk response plan comes in. A plan gives the project manager a variety of risk response strategies to mitigate negative risk if it occurs. As defined, risk is uncertainty that can impact a project in either a negative or positive way. As such, there are strategies for maximizing the benefit of positive risk. Risk Response Strategies for Negative Risks (Threats) The main risk response strategies for negative risks are listed below. Avoid This risk response strategy is about removing the threat by any means. It’s a proactive approach that aims to eliminate the possibility of a risk occurring to help protect the project from its impact. That can mean changing your project management plan to avoid the risk because it’s detrimental to the project. This strategy is ideal to use when the risk has a high probability and/or a significant negative impact. It’s also useful when the risk is beyond the organization’s risk tolerance and there are viable alternatives. Mitigate Some project risks you just can’t avoid. Risk mitigation involves planning, developing and implementing options to reduce the probability of a risk even occurring. The goal isn’t necessarily to eliminate all risk, but instead to reduce it to a more acceptable level. Risk mitigation is usually used when the risk cannot be avoided entirely or the potential impact is significant enough to warrant action. It’s also used when there are opportunities to reduce the likelihood or impact through specific actions. Transfer As the name implies, here you’ll transfer or pass the work on resolving the project risk to a third party, such as buying insurance or getting a warranty and guarantee. The core of a risk transfer is moving the potential financial impact of a risk event to another entity. The party inheriting the risk usually utilizes a formal agreement or contract when accepting the risk. A risk transfer is typically utilized when there aren’t enough resources or expertise available to manage a specific risk. It also allows the project team to focus on core project objectives and they can minimize distractions when risk responsibilities are transferred. Monitor Risk monitoring consists of continuously tracking identified risks and monitoring trigger conditions. It aims to answer questions like “how has the risk changed, are there new risks that have emerged or are the risk mitigation plans working as expected?” Large, complex projects benefit from risk monitoring or those with tight deadlines or budgets. It’s also useful in projects utilizing new or unproven technologies. Buffer This strategy revolves around adding extra resources, such as time or budget, to a project plan to absorb potential disruptions or negative impacts that a risk can cause. It creates a cushion that helps the project stay on scope, schedule and budget even if the risk materializes. This approach is especially useful when the project has a high degree of uncertainty or the impact of potential risks can be significant. It’s also used in projects where maintaining the project timeline or budget is critical. Accept This risk response strategy consists of identifying a risk and documenting all the risk management information about it, but not taking any action unless the risk occurs. This is a deliberate decision, not an oversight, as the team consciously accepts the potential consequences should the risk occur. Risk acceptance is typically used when the potential risk impact is low or the probability of the risk happening is low. It may also be used when there are no cost-effective alternative responses or if the project has sufficient contingency reserves. Risk Response Strategies for Positive Risks (Opportunities) On the other side of the coin, there are those positive risks that you want to exploit. There are three strategies for these, too: Exploit When there’s a positive risk or opportunity you want to exploit, you need to add more tasks or change the management plan to take advantage of it. There is risk inherent in this approach, but often the reward is worth it. Unlike strategies for negative risks that aim to avoid or mitigate harm, the exploit strategy revolves around actively pursuing opportunities. It’s the ideal strategy to use when the positive risk has a significant potential benefit and the cost and effort to exploit the risk are justified by the potential benefits. Enhance Here, you increase the chance of a positive risk occurring in your project and increase its positive impact on objectives. Think of this strategy as nurturing a potential opportunity to maximize its upside for the project. It targets either making the opportunity more likely to materialize or increasing positive consequences if it does. This strategy is ideal when the risk has significant potential benefits and the cost and effort to enhance the risk are justified by the potential benefits. Share Here you’ll share the risk response with other partners across various teams or projects. It might mean sharing a skilled team member across various projects. The rationale is that another entity may have better expertise, resources or capacity to capitalize on an opportunity or reduce the impact of a threat. It’s the preferred approach when another party has a clear advantage in managing the risk or sharing can lead to greater efficiency or effectiveness in capitalizing on an opportunity. Accept The accept risk response is choosing not to take any proactive action to pursue the opportunity. It’s often done when the opportunity has a low probability of occurring or the potential impact is small. Teams use this strategy when the likelihood of a positive risk materializing is very low or if there’s a high cost or effort to exploit the risk. /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PPM-ebook-banner-ad-evergreen.jpg What If There’s Both a Positive and a Negative to a Risk? Sometimes risk can have both a threat and an opportunity embedded within. In that case, there are a couple of risk response strategies you can apply: Accept: Here you accept the risk and wait until an adequate response can be determined, such as a contingency plan or allocation of time and cost. This decision must be shared with stakeholders. Escalate: If the risk cannot be monitored and is beyond the management of the project, it is escalated to a higher level, such as program or portfolio management. How to Make a Risk Response Plan Only once you understand the types of risk response strategies you can begin to develop a risk response plan. The risk response planning process is where you outline the strategies that you’ll use to manage negative risks (threats) and positive risks (opportunities). The plan will include the identification of risks, tasks associated with responding to them and the risk owner who takes action. The plan is a way to structure your strategies to make sure that no steps are skipped. You have to take into account the probability and level of impact of a risk and prioritize your response to it. Then, determine if it’s cost-effective and realistic and whether it will be successful if followed through. Your risk assessment must be agreed upon by all those involved, especially the project stakeholders. The plan will employ one of the risk response strategies listed above. Then, there will be risk triggers that set off the plan. These responses must be prioritized as well, from low probability and low impact to high probability and high impact. This will help you determine which risks to respond to. How ProjectManager Helps with Risk Response ProjectManager is online software that helps you organize your plan, monitor its progress and report to stakeholders to keep them updated on your progress. ProjectManager delivers real-time data that helps identify risk faster and track your risks in real time. Create Risk Response Plans on Gantt Charts Build robust risk response plans on our interactive Gantt charts. You can add risks to your plan as you would task, adding whether to avoid, mitigate, transfer or accept the risk. You can also add documentation and note if the status is opened or closed. Then share the Gantt chart with your team and stakeholders so everyone is in the loop. /wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Gantt_Construction_Wide_Zoom-150.jpg Use Multiple Project Views Teams won’t always need the details of a Gantt chart. In this case, they can simply toggle to another project view to execute their work while resolving risks. Teams can use a robust list view or utilize the visual workflow of a kanban board to manage their backlog and collectively plan sprints. Managers get transparency into the process and can relocate resources as needed to avoid bottlenecks. /wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Kanban_Marketing_Wide_Zoom-150_Moving-task-to-different-status.jpg Track Risks in Real-Time on Project Dashboards Another tool to give managers a high-level view of the risk response is the real-time dashboard. Unlike lightweight tools, our dashboard doesn’t have to be configured. It’s ready to work when you are. It automatically collects status updates and calculates project metrics, which are then displayed in easy-to-read charts and graphs. /wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Dashboard_Construction_Wide_Zoom-150.jpg ProjectManager is award-winning software that organizes, tracks and reports on project risk with live data that informs insightful decision-making. Keep your teams connected whether in the office or distributed across the globe. See why NASA, the Bank of America and Ralph Lauren use our tool to work more productively. Try ProjectManager free today! The post Risk Response Plan in Project Management: Key Strategies & Tips appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

The Netherlands expanded a government-run initiative on Monday allowing legal cannabis sales. While growing cannabis is still illegal, cannabis shops—known as coffeeshops—in 10 municipalities will be allowed to sell marijuana from 10 licensed producers. “Weed was sold here legally for 50 years, but the production was never legal. So it’s finally time to end that crazy, unexplainable situation and make it a legal professional sector,” Rick Bakker, commercial director at Hollandse Hoogtes, one of the regulated producers, told the Associated Press. Some 80 coffeeshops are taking part in the experiment which advocates hope this will ultimately end a long-standing legal anomaly—you can buy and sell small amounts of weed without fear of prosecution in the Netherlands, but growing it commercially remains illegal. Bakker’s company in Bemmel, near the German border, is indistinguishable from the surrounding greenhouses producing tomatoes and peppers. But it makes 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of weed per week and is one of the largest producers in the experiment. A trailblazer in decriminalizing pot since the 1970s, the Netherlands has grown more conservative. Amsterdam, long a magnet for marijuana smokers, has been closing coffeeshops in recent years and has banned smoking weed on some of the cobbled streets that make up its historic center. Advocates have been pushing for a legal growing for years, citing the safety of the product as well as concerns about crime. Benjamin Selma, the head grower at Hollandse Hoogtes who worked in cannabis production in California for more than a decade, said the quality control for the cannabis is extremely high. “We do a full test, microbial, cannabinoid, terpene, as well as yeast and anaerobic bacteria, heavy metals as well. So it’s very, very controlled,” he told the AP. The company, which does not use pesticides and tightly regulates growing conditions, has an eye to the environment. The production facility gets its energy from solar panels and uses biodegradable packaging. “It is also a great opportunity to see how cooperation within the closed chain between legal growers, coffeeshop owners and all other authorities involved works,” Breda Mayor Paul Depla told the AP when the first phase was launched in 2023. The experiment “is really a political compromise,” according to Derrick Bergman, chairman of the Union for the Abolition of Cannabis Prohibition. The plan dates to 2017, when Christian political parties and pro-legalization parties agreed to a test run after a bill to decriminalize production failed. The government will evaluate the experiment after four years. “A research team, advised by an independent guidance and evaluation committee, is examining the effects of a controlled cannabis supply chain on crime, safety and public health,” the government said in a statement. Selma said he is happy to be working without concerns about prosecution. “I’ve seen some bad moments,” he said, “and I don’t know if I ever believed I would be so free.” The coffeeshops taking part in the initiative are located in Almere, Arnhem, Breda, Groningen, Heerlen, Hellevoetsluis, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg, and Zaanstad. —Molly Quell, Associated Press View the full article

Long-delayed talks between London and New Delhi given fresh impetus by US taxes on importsView the full article

Google is directing its quality raters to flag pages with auto or AI-generated main content – and rate them as lowest quality, according to Google’s Senior Search Analyst and Search Relations team lead John Mueller, speaking at Search Central Live in Madrid. This was shared by Aleyda Solis today on LinkedIn: This change was part of the January 2025 update of the Search Quality Rater Guidelines. In case you missed anything else from that update, here’s a recap of the most significant changes from the latest version. 1. Google introduces a new definition: Generative AI With its latest Search Quality Rater Guidelines update, Google added a definition and framing for generative AI for the first time. Google’s document calls it a useful tool, but one that can be abused. The addition of Generative AI appears in Section 2.1 (Important Definitions): “Generative AI is a type of machine learning (ML) model that can take what it has learned from the examples it has been provided to create new content, such as text, images, music, and code. Different tools leverage these models to create generative AI content. Generative AI can be a helpful tool for content creation, but like any tool, it can also be misused.” 2. Google reorganizes and expands spam definitions Google significantly overhauled how spammy webpages are defined. The previous section 4.6.3 (Auto-generated MC) is gone. In its place, Google added new subsections and increased its focus on scaled, low-effort content, including potential AI misuse. What’s new in 2025 brings the guidelines in line with Google’s big search quality changes from last year: Expired Domain Abuse (Section 4.6.3): This happens when “an expired domain name is purchased and repurposed primarily to benefit the new website owner by hosting content that provides little to no value to users.” Site Reputation Abuse (Section 4.6.4): When “third-party content is published on a host site mainly because of that host’s already-established ranking signals, which it has earned primarily from its first-party content. The goal of this tactic is for the content to rank better than it could otherwise on its own.” Scaled Content Abuse (Section 4.6.5): Creating a lot of content “with little effort or originality with no editing or manual curation.” Generative AI is mentioned as one example of an automated tool used for this. MC [Main Content] Created with Little to No Effort, Little to No Originality, and Little to No Added Value for Website Visitors (Section 4.6.6): This is a new catch-all section for low-quality paraphrased content, often seen with generative AI and other forms of automated generation. Section 4.6.6. is what Mueller called attention to in his presentation, specifically this part: “The Lowest rating applies if all or almost all of the MC on the page (including text, images, audio, videos, etc) is copied, paraphrased, embedded, auto or AI generated, or reposted from other sources with little to no effort, little to no originality, and little to no added value for visitors to the website. Such pages should be rated Lowest, even if the page assigns credit for the content to another source.” [emphasis added]. Now, how exactly would a rater know whether content is auto or AI-generated? There is no guidance specific to AI-generated content, but there is some new guidance around “paraphrased content”: Section 4.6.6: “Automated tools can also be used to create paraphrased content by restating or summarizing the content on other pages.” Section 4.6.7: “Paraphrased content can be much harder to recognize… Paraphrased content is likely to: Only contain commonly known information or generally known facts Have high overlap with webpages on well established sources such as Wikipedia, reference websites, etc. Appear to summarize a specific page such as a forum discussion or news article without any added value Have words or other indications of summarizing or paraphrasing generative AI tools, such as words like ‘As an AI language model'” 3. Google explains low vs. lowest rating This new section introduces rater guidance for when content isn’t bad enough to get a Lowest rating, but still deserves a Low rating. Here’s the difference: Low: Some MC is reused, but there is at least minimal effort to curate or modify it. Lowest: Almost all MC is copied or paraphrased with no effort or added value. The Search Quality Rater Guidelines share examples of repackaged content like: “Social media reposts with little additional comment or discussion” “Pages with content from other sources (e.g. pages of embedded videos or pages with ‘repinned’ images) with little additional comment, discussion, or curation by the content creator of the page” “‘Best’ lists based on existing reviews and lists with little original content.” Google wants raters to flag thin content that tries to pass as original but doesn’t meet the standard for a quality user experience​. 4. Google adds ‘filler’ content This new section addresses “filler” content — that is, low-effort, low-relevance content that may visually dominate a page while failing to support its purpose. “Filler can artificially inflate content, creating a page that appears rich but lacks content website visitors find valuable.” It emphasizes that even if content isn’t harmful, it can earn a Low rating if it makes it harder to access truly helpful material. Especially targeted: pages that bury useful info beneath ads, generic introductions, or bloated paragraphs: Filler that’s prominently placed and distracts from the MC Pages that appear longer or richer than they are by padding out space Raters are encouraged to evaluate how page layout and content hierarchy affect the user’s ability to achieve their goal​. 5. Google gets stricter on exaggerated or mildly misleading claims Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines ]now explicitly target exaggerated or mildly misleading claims about the creator of a webpage, even if those claims don’t rise to the level of outright deception. Newly added Section 5.6 explains: “Deceptive information about a website or content creator is a strong reason for the Lowest rating.” But it also warns that less blatant exaggerations (e.g., inflated credentials, manufactured expertise) are now enough to warrant a Low rating: “Sometimes the information about the website or content provider seems exaggerated or mildly misleading, such as claims of personal experience or expertise that seem overstated or included just to impress website visitors.” This means raters are supposed to rely on what the main content actually demonstrates, plus outside research, rather than taking claims at face value: “E-E-A-T assessments should be based on the MC itself, the information you find during reputation research, verifiable credentials, etc., not just website or content creator claims of ‘I’m an expert!’” If a rater finds that the creator’s claimed qualifications feel more like marketing spin than substance, the document is clear: “If you find the information about the website or the content creator to be exaggerated or mildly misleading, the Low rating should be used.” Some other smaller changes Google also made a few other minor changes. Lowest quality pages (Section 4.0): Google added this line: “The Lowest rating is required if the page is created to benefit the owner of the website (e.g. to make money) with very little or no attempt to benefit website visitors or otherwise serve a beneficial purpose.” Deceptive Page Purpose, Deceptive Information about the Website, Deceptive Design (Section 4.5.3): Google revised this section and added more information, breaking these out with a table and bulleted list with examples. New rating type: Low Recipe 3: This will be given to recipe pages with a prominent amount of unrelated content, interstitials, and ads. Ad Blocking Extensions (Section 0.4): Raters must now “turn off any ad blocker capabilities of the browser you use to view webpages for rating tasks.” This applies to browsers like Chrome that automatically block some ads. View the full article

Oil price hit by recession fears as trade war between US and China escalatesView the full article

With macOS Sequoia 15.4, Apple fully rolled out all of its new Apple Intelligence features to the Mail app. As such, when you open Mail after updating to the latest OS, the app will look quite different. You'll see new "Mail Categories," a Priority Messages box, and email summaries, the latter two of which are powered by AI. It's not something many asked for, and you might be longing for the Mail app you're used to. But there's good news here: If you don't like these features, you can easily disable or customize them to suit your needs. How to disable Mail Categories on Mac Credit: Khamosh Pathak Apple first added Mail Categories to the iPhone back in iOS 18.2. After a few rounds of updates, it's now front and center on the Mac, too. This feature automatically sorts all your emails into four neat boxes: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. Apple's positioning for this feature is a bit weird. While Apple is using on-device processing to sort out these emails, it's not actually an Apple Intelligence feature. So, turning off Apple Intelligence on the Mac won't instantly get rid of this feature, either. The idea is that Apple does all the heavy lifting to figure out which emails are most important and useful, and presents them to you in the Primary box. It mostly works, but it isn't always accurate. Credit: Khamosh Pathak If you want to see all your emails at any given time, swipe right on the trackpad or Magic Mouse while hovering on the Categories tab to switch to the All Mail tab. This tab presents your messages in chronological order, as you're used to. But that might not be enough. If you want to disable the Categories view altogether, click the three dotted Menu button at the top of the Mail list, then uncheck Show Mail Categories. After that, the Mail list will be back to how it used to be. How to recategorize emailIn case you do like this feature and want to keep it around, here's a tip for when things go a bit wrong. In case the Mail app incorrectly categorizes an email, you can take a bit of manual control and point the app in the right direction. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Right-click on an email in the Mail list, then choose Categorize Sender. Here, choose the category where you want the email to end up in. How to disable Priority MessagesWhen you receive a time-sensitive email, or something that Apple deems significant (like an email from your company, or your family member) it will show up in a new Priority box on top of the Mail list. Credit: Khamosh Pathak If you don't like this feature, there's a quick way to disable it as well. Click the three-dotted Menu button on top of the Mail window, then uncheck Show Priority Messages. How to disable AI summary previews Credit: Khamosh Pathak Apple now provides a short summary for each email instead of showing you the first couple of lines. This too, is hit or a miss. Just like Notifications Summaries on iPhone, these Mail summaries can sometimes go horribly wrong, as the app changes the meaning of the message completely. Credit: Khamosh Pathak If you don't like this feature, here's what to do: Go to Mail > Settings (Command + Comma) from the menu bar, and switch over to the Viewing tab. Here, uncheck Summarize Message Previews to get rid of Mail summaries. How to disable all Mail AI featuresLastly, there's the nuclear option. To turn off all AI features in Mail, you can simply disable Apple Intelligence on your Mac. In one fell swoop, you can get rid of the Priority mail box, AI summaries, and the Summary button in emails, as well as hidden features like Apple Intelligence Writing Tools and Smart Replies options. Credit: Khamosh Pathak To do this, open System Settings, go to Apple Intelligence & Siri and disable the Apple Intelligence toggle. From the popup, click Turn Off Apple Intelligence to confirm. Of course, when you do this, you'll also miss out on the new Siri design, Writing Tools, Gemmoji, Image Playground and more. But if you don't care for these AI features anyway, better to just keep them off completely. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. Remember the letter-writer whose employee said they needed to give her longer breaks because she’s a smoker? Here’s the update. Update on my employee who is a smoker and requested extra break time due to her disability. First, wrong terminology on my part was used when I wrote in. The campus is non-tobacco use, not just non-smoking. Second, Deleana is an excellent worker other than her tardiness in coming back from breaks. I did ask my other employees if they would prefer one long 30-minute break or two shorter 15-minute breaks. 100% of the other employees (I didn’t ask Deleana) prefer having two breaks, so the break policy will stay the same. Deleana did come back with a doctor’s note for her disability. Apparently, she was in a serious car accident years ago and shattered her knee. Due to this, she is limited on how fast she can walk/run. The note involved an accommodation allowing extra time to complete tasks where she has to walk an extended distance. I explained to her that if I had an issue with how long it was taking her to walk from the back of the store to the front to greet a customer, this would apply as it is related to her job tasks. I have no issues with her on this. Going to her car to have a smoke break is not a job-related task so the note doesn’t apply. I told her she is a great asset to the business and team but disciplinary action would be taken, including termination, if the tardiness continues. Obviously, it did not go the way she wanted and said she would take steps to correct the issue. The first step was when she came into work chewing nicotine gum. I had to remind her, per the employee handbook, that no food or drink (including gum) is allowed out on the sales floor. Then she started using the nicotine patches, but she has said it was making her “agitity” and doesn’t like them, so quit using them. Starting this week she will be gone for two weeks as her daughter is having a baby. A few days ago, we were talking about this and she mentioned that having a grandchild would be a good excuse to quit smoking and planned on going “cold turkey” when she left to go to her daughter’s house. I wished her the best of luck in quitting smoking. As of now that is where it stands. In a perfect world she comes back as a non-smoker and I hope she does. Note from me: the nicotine gum might actually be considered a reasonable accommodation under the law, unless there’s a genuine work-related reason she can’t use it (for example, if she works around fragile textile fibers or similar, but not just because you generally don’t permit it). It’s worth running that by HR or legal counsel. View the full article

Accept your inherent value and don’t compromise. By Jody Padar The Radical CPA Go PRO for members-only access to more Jody Padar. View the full article

Accept your inherent value and don’t compromise. By Jody Padar The Radical CPA Go PRO for members-only access to more Jody Padar. 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. Bose makes speakers that have been dominating their space since their release—and when it comes to portable mid-size rugged speakers, the Bose New Soundlink Flex has been one of the best since its release in 2021, and is still very competitive three years later. Right now, you can get it for $119 (originally $149), the lowest price it has been according to price-tracking tools. Bose New SoundLink Flex Battery Life 12 Hours, Included Components USB-C, Is Waterproof True, Item Weight 1.2 Pounds. $113.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $149.00 Save $36.00 Get Deal Get Deal $113.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $149.00 Save $36.00 The Bose New SoundLink Flex is the middle sibling between the oldest (but smallest) Bose SoundLink Micro, and the youngest (but biggest) Bose SoundLink Max. The Flex also strikes a good middle ground between them as far as portability and sound, making it the best portable speaker for most people. The Flex has an IP67 rating, which means you get complete water and dust-proof protection. The speaker even floats in the water, so you can bring it with you in the pool. While it doesn't have full EQ customization in its companion app, the sound it offers is clear with rich bass depth and clear highs out of the box, according to PCMag's review. It also has a speakerphone, so you can take calls with it and even speak to it, thanks to its microphone. Although it's older, it comes with a USB-C charger, so it will charge quickly. At 3.6 by 7.9 by 2.1 inches (HWD) and 1.3-pound, it is light and portable. The Bluetooth 4.2 supports SBC codec, but not AAC or AptX, so it is more suitable for Android users than for Apple users, but either works. The SoundLink Flex is perfect for those who want to take their speaker with them anywhere, thanks to its small size and light weight. And for the price, it offers some of the best audio available. View the full article

But don't try comparing IRS.gov web traffic. By Beth Bellor Go PRO for members-only access to more Beth Bellor. View the full article

But don't try comparing IRS.gov web traffic. By Beth Bellor Go PRO for members-only access to more Beth Bellor. View the full article

Do you appreciate what you have? By Ed Mendlowitz Tax Season Opportunity Guide Go PRO for members-only access to more Edward Mendlowitz. View the full article

Do you appreciate what you have? By Ed Mendlowitz Tax Season Opportunity Guide Go PRO for members-only access to more Edward Mendlowitz. View the full article

In a speech at the American Bankers Association Washington Summit Wednesday morning, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent downplayed economic risks from tariffs, floated capital reforms, and urged regulatory relief for community banks. View the full article

Italian fashion group set to announce cut price $1.38bn tie-up with Capri-owned house as soon as ThursdayView the full article

A pullback from US Treasuries sent longer-term yields surging by the most since pandemic struck in 2020, deepening losses in what's supposed to be a haven from financial turmoil and roiling markets abroad as investors sell government bonds to raise cash. View the full article

And how they can maul usView the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I have a question about something that happened early in my career. Obviously there’s nothing I can do to change the past, but I’m curious about whether I had options I didn’t know about due to my inexperience. Immediately out of college, I was hired to work for a religious nonprofit organization. I started by working in their after-school program and eventually moved in to a supervisor position. My manager, “Simon,” and I got along really well for a couple of years (we were close in age and I’d say I considered him a friend), but in my third year at the organization, his attitude toward me shifted drastically. I will be the first to admit that my performance really fell off at that time. I had gotten involved in an abusive relationship and was struggling to focus. I wasn’t completing tasks on time and wasn’t keeping up my relationships with my coworkers or the kids I worked with. Simon called me out on my poor performance, but would always circle the conversation around to my boyfriend, “Luke.” He made it clear that he thought I should break up with Luke. Obviously he was right about that, but he was my manager and I didn’t feel comfortable with him having input into my relationship. It was as though he wanted to be my friend but was trying to leverage his role as manager to “help” me. When my performance didn’t improve, he called me into his office and told me to have a seat. After a moment of silence he said, “I need to know if you and Luke are having sex.” I was stunned. I am a private person by nature and that’s not something I discussed even with close friends. I didn’t answer him, and so he launched into a speech about the Bible’s teachings on premarital sex (for what it’s worth, I disagree with his theological arguments on the subject, but that’s neither here nor there) and how he had made some poor decisions in that area when he was younger but now that he was married, he realized the error of his ways. I was so shocked and upset that I began to cry while he told me that if I was involved in a sexual relationship I could no longer work for the organization. He then told me, in a way that was clearly intended as comforting, “The only person who will need to know is [head of organization].” That sent me into an absolute panic attack as I imagined him telling the director of the organization that I was leaving because I wanted to have sex with my boyfriend. He took my crying as an admission of guilt and left the room, despite my never having uttered a word the entire time. I quit a few days later because I felt so embarrassed and attacked. I knew I would never feel comfortable stepping foot there again. In retrospect, I wonder if I should have done something. The denomination affiliated with the organization only has rules about celibacy for unmarried ordained clergy (and even those are not enforced). It’s a relatively progressive denomination so there isn’t an emphasis on purity culture or anything. I never signed any forms about my personal conduct outside of work. The only thing mentioned in my contract involving religion was that I must be a member of a church and that I would lead Bible study once a week. Did Simon’s actions count as sexual harassment? Is a religious nonprofit allowed to fire people for sexual activity, even if it isn’t explicitly stated anywhere? Could I have reported him without having to disclose information on my private life? WTF. There are some religious institutions that hold employees to a purity code of sorts, grounded in their religious practice. Normally federal law prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating on the basis of religious belief or practice, but organizations whose “purpose and character are primarily religious” are exempt from that law. Even then, though, they would need to apply any kind of religious purity code without violating other anti-discrimination laws — so they couldn’t, for example, apply it only to women but not to men. But based on what you said in your letter, it doesn’t sound like Simon’s edict was based on the organization’s conduct rules, as opposed to his own personal moral code. There’s no law against managers requiring employees to adhere to a personal code of conduct, as long as they apply it evenly and without discrimination. So they could decide they won’t employ anyone who has sex outside of marriage (or who wears blue on Tuesdays, or who likes Drake), but they couldn’t apply that only to women and not men. (It’s possible that a state with very strong out-of-work privacy protections, like California, might prohibit that … although I suspect you’d need a test case to know for sure.) In any case, was Simon applying this to everyone, or only to you? And was this an organization-wide policy or just Simon’s? It sounds very much like the latter. As for what you could have done, yes, you absolutely could have reported him without having to disclose information about your private life. “Simon is requiring me to quit unless I will agree not to have sex outside of marriage” is reportable on its own; you wouldn’t need to add “and that’s a problem because I’m sexually active.” If indeed this was just Simon’s personal agenda, it’s likely that someone above in him in the organization (or in HR, if they had it) would have shut this down and told him to stop talking to employees about their sex lives. But I hope knowing that doesn’t make you blame yourself for not handling it that way at the time. You were in an abusive relationship and under stress both at home and at work, and someone in a position of authority wildly overstepped a boundary with you. You’re not to blame for not navigating this differently; Simon is to blame for being an overstepping asshole. View the full article

Google Discover is coming to desktop search. Learn why it's becoming a top traffic source and how to optimize your content before the rollout. The post Google Confirms Discover Coming To Desktop Search appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article