The affected Chrome extensions are used by over 2.5 million people.

Since the pandemic normalized hybrid work and virtual communication, a number of companies have been emboldened to take a more impersonal approach to conducting layoffs. When Intuit cut 10% of its workforce last summerframed as performance-related layoffsemployees were instructed to look out for a calendar invite that would indicate whether they were impacted. In April, Tesla informed its employees about layoffs through an email; some employees reportedly only learned they had been let go when they showed up to the office and found their badges no longer worked.According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, employers may be doubling down on this approach to layoffs, despite the bad press that has followed some companies after callous job cuts. In December, when General Motors announced a year-end round of layoffswhich eliminated 1,000 jobsemployees were notified via email. One engineer who lost his job was alerted to the news with a cryptic text message that said he should check his email, the Journal reported; impacted workers were directed to call a hotline if they had questions about their employment status. Layoffs have long been a minefield for HR and people teams, who are often tasked with striking a balance between treating impacted employees with compassion and not disclosing more information than necessary, particularly when companies are making widespread cuts. Even in instances where employers offer more generous severance packages or continued access to healthcare coverage, they can botch how they communicate layoffs, offering workers little to no accountability or transparency.The pandemic ushered in a period of more frequent layoffs, as tech companies and other employers navigated an economic downturn and cut thousands of jobs (if not tens of thousands) over the past few years. The rise of remote work also spurred some companies to take more liberties with how they announced layoffs to employees: Some leaders, like Better.com CEO Vishal Garg, made headlines in 2022 for firing 900 workers over a Zoom call. Long before Elon Musk issued layoffs at Tesla via email, he drew attention for swiftly cutting half of Twitters workforce after acquiring the company.It seems employers are still struggling with how to do layoffs in a humane fashionor perhaps they have concluded that there is no good way to cut jobs en masse. But experts say that even when companies are firing hundreds or thousands of employees, there are steps they can take to lessen the blow in a difficult moment. A company-wide email or announcement might be necessary to ensure employees find out at the same time, but it can still help to hear directly from a manager or someone an employee knows. Some employers create alumni groups for laid-off workers or offer specific support for those with extenuating circumstances, like employees who are on work visas.Companies sometimes forget that its not just impacted employees who take note of how they conduct job cuts. Morale and productivity often takes a hit following layoffs, and the employees who remain are more likely to leave for another job. As HR expert and FairComp CEO Nolan Church previously told Fast Company: People will always remember how you make them feel, regardless of [whether] they are currently impacted or not.

Want more housing market stories from Lance LambertsResiClubin your inbox?Subscribeto theResiClubnewsletter.According to Fitch Ratings, home prices in 2024 rose in 13 of the 15 major countries analysts at the credit rating agency track, including a 4% jump in U.S. home prices.The biggest home price increases were found in the Netherlands (13%), Colombia (10%), and Mexico (9.3%), while France (3%) and China (7.8%) saw the only decreases.Whats going on in Chinas housing market?After decades of a booming property market and rapid urbanization, China is experiencing a property bust. Unlike the U.S. housing market, where most analysts consider the market under built, many analysts believe that China has a glut of supply driven by speculation, with many investors buying and owning empty units purely based on expectations of appreciation. As the Chinese government works to rein in the debt crisis in the property sector, it has tightened credit standards, which has the negative consequence of making it harder for Chinese homebuyers to obtain financing amid the bust.Will China home prices, which began falling in 2022, bottom out in 2025?The [Chinese] housing market is still in a precarious position, and much depends on the governments follow through on support, wrote Goldman Sachs analysts in November. Without intervention, Goldman Sachs Research estimates that property values may be at risk of falling by another 20% or 25%, which would drop them to about half of the peak in prices. But the government moves are positive nonetheless, and our researchers now estimate that [China] property prices may stabilize by late 2025. Fitch Ratings is not as optimistic about China as Goldman Sachs.While analysts at Fitch Ratings expect U.S. home prices to rise by 2% to 4% in 2025, they expect Chinese home prices to fall by another 4% to 6% in 2025, according to the final 2025 home price forecast just published.According to Fitch Ratingss preliminary 2026 forecast, which was also just published, the group expects U.S. home prices to increase by 3% to 5% in 2026, while China remains in correction mode, with China home prices expected to fall by 2% to 4% in 2026.For more 2025 and 2026 housing market forecasts, check out ResiClubs roundup of U.S. home price forecasts from 26 firms.

U.S. stock markets, federal offices, and the post office will remain closed next Thursday, January 9, to honorformer President Jimmy Carter, the countrys 39th president, who died Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100.President Joe Biden issued anexecutive orderearlier this week closing federal offices for a National Day of Mourning, for Carters official state funeral at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. As is customary, Biden ordered flags fly at half staff for the next 30 days.The New York Stock Exchange will close, and the Nasdaq said it would close allU.S.equities and options markets, but that bond markets would remain open till 2 p.m. ET. The Supreme Court will be closed (though its not in session anyway.) Banks and other businesses are expected to remain open.Is January 9 a federal holiday? Do I have off work?January 9 is a holiday for all federal employees, except those who are exempt, but its not a national holiday for the rest of us. For those who work in the financial field, who normally do not work when the markets are closed, talk to your supervisor and find out if you have the day off.Who was Jimmy Carter and why was he so beloved?President Carter was a man of character, courage, and compassion, whose lifetime of service defined him as one of the most influential statesmen in our history, Biden said in a White House statement. He embodied the verybest of America:A humble servant of God and the people.Aheroic champion of global peace and human rights, and an honorable leader whose moral clarity and hopeful vision lifted our Nation and changed our world.The son of a farmer and a nurse, Carter served in the Navy Reserves during the Second World War, returning home to manage his familys peanut farm in Georgia following his fathers death.A humanitarian, man of faith, public servant, and lifelong Democrat, he served as a Georgia state senator, the states 76th governor, and ultimately president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.As is customary for current and former living presidents, President-elect Donald Trump, who often criticized Carter, said he planned to attend the state funeral, likely alongside his predecessors Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and President Biden, all Democrats who have been deeply critical of Trump.

A little over a month back, Jaguar gambled on pretty much any goodwill it had among its customer base with a rather odd rebrand. Not only did the company cease production of all existing cars in 2024, they decided to do a hard pivot to EVs with a rebranding that was less about automobiles and more haute fashion and edgy visuals.When Jaguar finally debuted the Type 00 concept, it looked like something out of the Cybertruck playbook sharp lines, low-poly design, minimal but expressive enough to garner an opinion. So designer Joe Slatter just decided to mash them together in the automotive equivalent of pen-pineapple-apple-pen Remember that song? Its now 9 years old.Designer: Joe SlatterThis project explores what a collaboration between Jaguars Type 00 and Teslas Cybertruck could look like if they joined forces. Both designs have been among the most talked-about in the automotive industry over the past five years, Slatter mentions. The result is the Jaguar Cybertruck concept, an electric pickup truck, combining Jaguars new visual direction with Teslas bold futurism.The resulting car sort of blurs lines between a luxury sedan and a pickup truck. To be honest, theres nothing pickup truck about this car when you look at it, but theres a fully accessible rear truck-bed at the back. The car looks effortlessly futuristic, with sharp lines that arent shy to show off curves in some places. The front and back are both curved, as opposed to the edgy straight angular lines on the Cybertruck, and the front and rear fenders are just mildly protruding with 3D curves around the wheels, giving the car character.The Cybertruck looks the way it does only because of the reinforced steel plates it uses in its construction. Some would argue that low-poly half-rendered aesthetic is a small price to pay for incredible durability (it apparently even resisted bombing recently), but what Jaguar achieved with the Type 00 was basically a visual refinement of Cybertrucks aesthetic. What Jaguar did was great if observed independently, but to throw away a great heritage legacy for that rebrand was a strange move.For Slatter, this collab/mashup is purely about counterculture. Jaguar and Tesla both wanted to shake up the industry, so combining their design aesthetics and efforts just felt like a natural thing to do. Slatter even pasted the Cybertruck logo on top of Jaguars branding, making it almost look like graffiti over the boring wannabe-edgy neo-corporate rebranding of Jaguar.Is the Jaguar Cybertruck a gorgeous car? Again, when observed in a silo, yes it is. It has enough character over the original Cybertruck to get my thumbs-up, so to speak. Would I personally ever drive such a car? Probably not Im a diehard retro automobile lover and Id probably choose something vintage-inspired over something hyper-futuristic but then again, thats just me. What do you think?The post This Jaguar + Cybertruck Mashup Honestly Looks Gorgeous first appeared on Yanko Design.

Januarys new moon is the onset of the Lunar New Year aka the Chinese New Year, which for 2025 is the Year of the Snake according to the zodiac calendar. While watchmakers like Longines and Oris have already revealed their celebratory timepieces to leverage the fanfare around the 15-day-long celebrations, the Jordan brand is also walking in with an iteration of the Air Jordan 11 Low inspired by the mythological Year of the Snake.Dubbed the Air Jordan 11 Low CNY Year of the Snake, the silhouette is part of the Jordan brands thematic collection, which comprises a few other pairs including the Air Jordan 1 Low and the Air Jordan 5. The AJ 11 Low CNY edition promises to be a unique sneaker with cultural significance and the Jordan branding, which has its own contemporary fanbase. How many takers itll find will be apparent after the sneaker drops in the third week of January.Designer: NikeFrom the very looks of it, the Air Jordan 11 Low CNY Year of the Snake silhouette is not very different from the AJ 11 Low OG. Nevertheless, it has a subtle new design embodying the celebratory spirit without altering the idea of the sneaker too much. Of course, for the snake symbolism and to fit the year of the wood snake theme it has a mysterious snakeskin design to stand out.The sneaker has a clean and classic look enhanced by a versatile, eye-catching texture on its predominant white canvas. Made from white tumbled leather, the Air Jordan 11 Lows upper is complemented by a similar color midsole. The sneakers vibe is scaled up by the greyish snakeskin mudguard that nods the Year of the Snake theme. The shoe design is finished with a semi-translucent milky outsole.While we are scouting for clear information about the release date which tentatively appears to be January 23, 2025 we leave you with the first clear images of the Air Jordan 11 Low CNY Year of the Snake by way of Instagram handle sneakersbar. When it launches, the Chinese New Year-themed sneaker will be available at select Jordan brand retailers and through the Nike website online. The Air Jordan 11 Low in its Year of the Snake detailing will retail for $190 in mens sizing.The post Jordan 11 Low with Snakeskin Mudguard is ready for Chinese New Year Celebrations first appeared on Yanko Design.

Turo, which investigators say was used to acquire the vehicles involved in the attack in New Orleans and explosion in Las Vegas, was emerging as an alternative car-rental service.

Owners of the Kuxiu magnetic charging stands made for recent iPad models complain that their devices are no longer charging after updating to iPadOS 18.3. It is unclear if it is a beta bug.Kuxiu charging stands aren't charging with iPadOS 18.3 betaSome accessory makers rely on workarounds that aren't officially supported by Apple, but work due to the technology allowing it. Generally, these workarounds slide by without an issue, but not always.Kuxiu offers a range of magnetic charging stands for iPad that AppleInsider has covered with praise for the products. However, owners that updated to the iPadOS 18.3 beta are reporting that the chargers no longer work. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Gamers are finding themselves banned from "Marvel Rivals" for 100 years, after finding ways to play the Windows version of the game on macOS.Marvels Rivals - Image Credit: Marvel/NetEase GamesMarvel Rivals is a free-to-play first-person-shooter that is currently very popular among gamers. However, it does not currently have a macOS client, which has caused problems for some players using workarounds to do so.Posts to Reddit reveal that players desperate to play the title on macOS are playing using Windows emulation. However many of those same players are discovering that their account has become part of a mass blocking effort affecting macOS users. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A resort project for the nonprofit Fundacin Casa Wabi near Oaxaca, Mexico has been shared with Archinect following the projects completion in February of 2024.Photo credit: Rafael GamoThe new Orchid Pavilion from the Centro de Colaboracin Arquitectnica (CCA) embodies the Japanese notion of Ikigai (or 'a reason for being') and functions as both a meditative refuge for guests and a resource for the stewardship of local plant life at its site on the outskirts of Puerto Escondido.Photo credit: Jaime NavarroPhoto credit: Rafael GamoBy prioritizing three design imperatives (functional simplicity, sustainable materials, and the primacy of sanctuary), the CCA says they were able to establish space that helps support its client's mission of fostering arts engagement with the community while simultaneously giving back to nature.Photo credit: Rafael GamoA line of concrete basins integrated into the pavilions roof structure filter water down into concrete collecting trays embedded in t...