Interior raises cap on state payouts from Gulf energy leases
The Trump administration has raised the cap on how much states can receive from energy leases on the Gulf of Mexico's Outer Continental Shelf from $500 million to $650 million annually. The funds are given to coastal states participating in offshore energy — Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
'The Trump administration is committed to unleashing American energy, reducing reliance on foreign sources and strengthening coastal communities,' Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a news release. 'This increase in revenue sharing rewards the states that power our economy and ensures they have the resources to build resilient infrastructure, protect their coastlines and grow local jobs.'
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The cap increases were required under President Donald Trump's megalaw, which also mandated new oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf, which the Trump administration renamed the Gulf of America.
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TechCrunch
a minute ago
- TechCrunch
Google pushes AI into flight deals as antitrust scrutiny, competition heat up
Google on Thursday announced a new AI-powered search tool to help travelers find flight deals — even as regulators continue to question whether the search giant's dominance in travel discovery stifles competition. Called Flight Deals, the new tool is available within Google Flights and is designed to help 'flexible travelers' find cheaper fares. Users can type natural language queries into a search bar — describing how and when they want to travel — and the AI surfaces matching options. These queries can be like 'week-long trip this winter to a city with great food, nonstop only' or '10-day ski trip to a world-class resort with fresh powder,' Google said in a blog post. The tool uses its AI models to understand the nuances of what users are looking for and then goes through live Google Flights data to show relevant results, the company said. Regulators, including the European Commission, are currently investigating how Google may be favoring its own search products — including Google Flights — in ways that harm competition. EU regulators are eyeing Google for enforcement under the Digital Markets Act, aiming to rein in the power of major tech platforms. In response, the Alphabet-owned unit is reportedly planning to propose changes to appease regulators, including the addition of a price-comparison box in search results. Initially, Google has brought Flight Deals in beta, with plans to roll it out in the U.S., Canada, and India over the next week. The company said the goal of the beta release is 'to gather feedback and explore how AI can improve travel planning.' Google did not immediately respond to questions about which Gemini models power the tool, what data sources are used, or what privacy safeguards are in place. The move is part of a broader experiment as Google looks to compete with OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, and other major AI players by integrating generative AI into travel search. Competitors like Expedia, and Indian travel aggregator MakeMyTrip have already rolled out their own AI integrations to streamline trip planning. In that sense, Google is arriving a bit late. But with its scale and reach, the company could still pose a serious challenge — if the tool proves effective and gains traction. Nonetheless, the classic Google Flights interface will continue to exist. The original flight search tool, launched in 2011, is even getting an update with an option to exclude basic economy fares for trips within the U.S. and Canada.


Fast Company
a minute ago
- Fast Company
What I wish I'd known: Leadership lessons from a career in storytelling and strategy
For Eric Glass, EVP and chief marketing and communications officer at Dayforce, leadership has always been an evolving story: one of curiosity, vulnerability, and learning to trust his own voice. The idea of using storytelling as a tool for meaning and connection has shaped Glass's approach to business and leadership for decades. 'I've always been anchored in storytelling,' Glass says. 'Writing and narrative have always been how I make sense of things and how I connect with others.' His career has taken him from agency-side consulting to senior in-house roles at major brands like Yahoo!, HP, LinkedIn, and Workday. Now, at Dayforce, he's helping shape how leaders show up for their people—and vice versa. Here he offers some of the wisdom he's gathered along the way. Early on, Glass learned that narrative alone isn't enough, especially in technology, where credibility depends on knowing your stuff inside and out. 'There were times when I had a good kernel of an idea and I'd come in full of energy, but I didn't have enough context,' he says. 'And if you're sitting across from a CEO or a founder, it only takes one or two pointed questions for that to become obvious.' It's a mistake he doesn't make anymore. Today, he knows how important it is to understand the business as deeply as you understand the story you want to tell. That means knowing both the product and the market and being able to communicate them in a way that builds trust with audiences both internally and externally. VULNERABILITY IS A SUPERPOWER Of course, no one has all the answers, not even the EVP of a high-growth, global tech brand. Glass is a big believer in showing what he calls 'the strength of vulnerability,' especially for emerging leaders. 'When you're early in your career, you feel like you have to know everything,' he says. 'I spent too much energy trying to be all things in all situations, and the truth is, it didn't have the impact I wanted. It's okay not to know. What matters is how you figure it out.' That kind of humility boosts your credibility in the long run, he says. 'I appreciate team members at all levels who say, 'I don't know, but here's how I'm going to find out.' That's the kind of person I want to work with.' BAD NEWS DOESN'T AGE WELL If there's one leadership mistake Glass wishes he could undo, it's waiting too long to raise a red flag. Early in his consulting career, he let a client issue fester while trying to solve it behind the scenes. 'I was working on the problem, but I held back from communicating it because I wanted to show up with a solution,' he says. 'By the time I brought it forward, it was too late. I was ultimately kicked off that account, and that had never happened to me before.' The experience left a mark, but it turned out to be a great learning experience. 'Get in front of bad news,' Glass says emphatically. 'Even if you don't have the solution yet, name the problem and bring people into the process. It's better to be transparent early than perfect too late.' Whether it's an underperforming campaign or a team challenge, the sooner an issue is out in the open, the sooner everyone can work toward a solution together. EVERYONE HAS A STORY Glass doesn't believe in leading every team the same way. 'Everyone shows up with their own stuff,' he says. 'The more, as a leader, you can understand what drives each person—what their challenges are, what their magic powers are—the better the relationship will be. And ultimately, the better the outcome.' That means tuning your leadership frequency to match the individuals around you. 'You can coach anybody on the mechanics of marketing and communications. But what you can't coach is that 'fire in the belly.'' That deep drive is what separates employees who just check the boxes from those who inspire innovation, motivate teams or ignite a campaign. As a leader, Glass says, one of the most profound things you can do is help your team find the crucial spark. 'If someone's going through the motions and not feeling the charge, it might be time to shift direction,' Glass says. 'But when they tap into what energizes them? That's when acceleration becomes exponential.'


Entrepreneur
a minute ago
- Entrepreneur
Can I Be a Great Leader and Still Fire Someone I Love?
Sometimes there's someone on our staff we adore — they're wonderful, they're great to work with, they're talented … but they just don't fit in with your company's short- and mid-term growth goals. How do you let go of someone you hold dear? Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. As a recovering toxic boss, one of the cruelest contradictions of leadership is this: Sometimes, you have to let go of someone you genuinely care about. Not because they did something wrong. Not because they weren't loyal. But because the business — your business — just needs something else, something they're not providing in their role. I've had to let go of people I've liked. Really, really liked. People I mentored, advocated for and rooted for. People who reminded me of a younger version of myself. And I've got to tell you, it doesn't get easier with experience. But it can get cleaner, kinder and more purposeful — if you do it the right way. Here's what I've learned about firing a hire you love and how to do it with empathy, clarity and integrity. Recognize that a good vibe doesn't always mean a good fit As a leader, you're constantly hiring for potential — for what you see in job candidates, their attitude, their energy, their fit with your culture. You're not just filling roles; you're building a team to call your own that you can be proud of. So when someone's vibe feels right, it's easy to want to invest in their potential. But potential doesn't always translate to performance. Or the needs of your company evolve in such a way that what seemed like a great fit is no longer aligning with the direction in which you're heading. In other words, appreciating someone's spirit doesn't always equate to them being the right person for the job anymore. And this is where things get cloudy, because you start rationalizing in your mind. You think, "But they've been with us so long" … "But they're trying so hard" … "But I like them so much." All of that may be true, but if your business instincts are whispering (or yelling) that the relationship just isn't working, you owe it to both yourself and your employee to listen to your internal sensibilities. Heed your gut What does it mean to listen to that inner voice that tells you something is off? It means not waiting too long to make the decision. Most leaders do; I've done it myself. I've dragged my feet, silently hoping the situation would resolve itself through performance changes or through the employee resigning. But effective leaders know that, almost always, things don't fix themselves. Rather, leaders need to acknowledge the gap between what needs to be done and what's actually getting done … and then take action to narrow or fully close that gap. When determining if it's time to let someone go, I evaluate three specific factors: Performance: Is this person sufficiently and consistently delivering what's needed? Potential: Are they growing in a way that aligns with your company's objectives? Impact: What effect are they having on your overall team, your culture and your outcomes? If someone you love isn't measuring up in these areas — after you've provided guidance and support to them — it might be time to make the hard call. Related: Terminating an Employee? Don't Make These Legal Mistakes Prepare for the conversation The most compassionate firings I've been a part of were those where the boss came to the meeting well prepared. When you're vague or overly emotional, the employee doesn't get the right message. Instead, clarity translates to kindness — the more intentional and on point you can be, the clearer the employee will be on where you stand and what's happening. Here are some ways to prepare: Document instances when performance didn't meet business goals Create a transition plan that clearly explains the employee's termination date and what their responsibilities will be until then Offer support in all ways you can: severance pay, a letter of recommendation, introductions to others in your industry In terms of what to actually say, you want to stay focused but also thoughtful, professional but also gracious. To lessen the sting, you can say things like, "This isn't about you as a person at all — it's about what the business needs right now" and "I'll continue to support you in your next steps because I know what you bring to the table, even if this is no longer the right table for you." Related: I Fired an Employee After Finding Their Secret Second Job Display your humanity Letting someone go is a very difficult thing to do. And as much as you want to be direct to minimize the discomfort, you want to remain empathetic and generous-minded; you're dealing with a person's self-esteem and livelihood, after all, so do your best to treat them the way you'd want to be treated if the roles were reversed. Avoid making the encounter seem transactional by: Allowing space for emotions (without taking them on as your own) Letting the employee respond to you — don't make it a one-way discourse on how they fell short; grant them a real person-to-person conversation so they can get closure (with a reasonable time limit to not elongate the awkwardness for both parties) Offering to be a reference or a source of networking, if appropriate Showing genuine appreciation and gratitude for the contributions they did make It's not your responsibility to secure the next step for them, but you can handle their exit with grace and magnanimity. Let yourself grieve A firing isn't just a loss for the employee; it's a loss for you too. And some losses are truly worthy of grieving. Don't deny your feelings of sadness, but don't confuse them with regret or second-guess your decision either. You can wallow in feelings of guilt, self-blame, playing the bad guy. Or you can choose to let the experience be a valuable lesson in leadership. Ask yourself: "What did I learn here about my hiring process?" "Why did I wait so long to act on my inner knowing?" "How can I become a better leader from this?" You can't escape the pain of letting someone go, but you can expand your leadership skills and increase your emotional intelligence as a result of it. Love and let go You can be someone's fan and still release them from a fit that wasn't right for either of you. You can believe in someone's future and still recognize that the future isn't with your company. And you can like someone tremendously — even love them — and still realize you can't keep them on your team just for personal reasons. When you make the purely professional assessment that it's time to let someone go, it can be the most loving thing you can do for all involved. Doing so for the right reasons maintains your integrity and their dignity. Most of all, it sets them farther down the path of finding where they truly belong. And that's something that everybody deserves.