Author: Awais

When your search and social strategies are intertwined, they work together like a well-oiled machine, and your search visibility can multiply. For years, SEO and social media teams more often than not operated in silos, rarely engaging with each other and never working in tandem. SEO focused on optimizing for the latest Google algorithm update while social media teams worked earnestly to respond to brand mentions. Today, these functions must merge from parallel paths to transparent collaboration. Audience engagement on social platforms can influence how search engines interpret trust, authority, and relevance. Google’s Helpful Content evolution highlighted social platforms in…

Tonight, the Moon is still very thin, marking the start of the waxing crescent phase in the U.S. However, in some parts of the world (depending on the time zone) the New Moon is officially occurring tonight.What is today’s moon phase?As of Saturday, Dec. 20, the moon phase is Waxing Crescent (if you’re in the U.S). There is little to be seen tonight, with NASA’s Daily Moon Observation stating 0% of the moon will be lit up. So, of course, there’s little to no chance of spotting any features on the Moon’s surface tonight.When is the next full moon?The next…

A full third of UK citizens have turned to artificial intelligence for emotional support, companionship, or social interaction, according to a new report from the government’s AI Security Institute (AISI). The data shows that nearly one in 10 people are using systems like chatbots for emotional purposes on a weekly basis, with 4% engaging with them every single day. Because of this shift, the AISI is calling for more research, pointing to the tragic death of US teenager Adam Raine, who took his own life this year after discussing suicide with ChatGPT. “People are increasingly turning to AI systems for…

Lasagna is a labor of love, there’s no doubt about it. I love the layers of tender pasta, rich fillings, and molten cheese that melt together in saucy harmony. I’m all for the love, but I’m not always in love with the actual labor. The endless stack of dirty dishes from boiling the noodles, making the tomato sauce, building a bechamel or cheese sauce, sautéeing meat or vegetable fillings, on and on it goes. I’ve spent evenings wrestling slippery noodles across the counter, trying not to splash sauce across the kitchen, and scrubbing every last pot when it’s over. And…

Never miss a new edition of The Variable, our weekly newsletter featuring a top-notch selection of editors’ picks, deep dives, community news, and more. Could it really be the end of another year? We’ve been publishing annual recaps for a long time, and this final stretch still somehow sneaks up on us. Every year feels hectic, of course. But we’re pretty sure that we’ve never been busier — in the best possible ways! — than in 2025, whether it’s rebuilding TDS as an independent publication, iterating on our Author Payment Program, or staying as determined as ever to publish the best articles by data science,…

TGA has approved the Apple Watch’s hypertension notification featureApple can now legally enable the feature on its smartwatchThis could be a life-saving feature as it alerts you if your watch thinks you have chronic high blood pressureThe one feature that I was waiting for on the Apple Watch Series 11 has finally been approved. According to a report published by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) earlier this month, the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) has finally approved hypertension notifications on compatible Apple Watches.This, however, does not mean users can immediately start using the feature; it just allows Apple to legally enable…

Anthropic is finally letting more people use Claude in Google Chrome. The company’s AI browser plugin is expanding beyond $200-per-month Max subscribers and is now available to anyone who pays for a Claude subscription.The Claude Chrome plugin allows for easy access to Anthropic’s AI regardless of where you are on the web, but its real draw is how it lets Claude navigate and use websites on your behalf. Anthropic says that Claude can fill out forms, manage your calendar and email and complete multi-step workflows based on a prompt. The latest version of the plugin also features integration with Claude…

Why It Works Lard, beef suet, or shortening consists of 100% fat and yields a pastry that’s crisp and sturdy without being tough.Hot water pregelatinizes some of the starches in the flour, creating a super workable, playdough-like texture.A high-protein all-purpose flour helps provide extra structure to free-standing pies. If you talk to an American about pie, they’ll likely think you’re referring to dessert, such as fruit, custard, or cream pies. Speak to a Brit, though, and they’ll probably assume you’re talking about a savory meat pie filled with pork, chicken, or steak. Traditional British meat pies are very different from…

Google will update its Pharmaceutical policy for AdMob Authorized Buyers in January, allowing prescription drug and prescription drug service ads in select markets without Google certification while clarifying what remains strictly prohibited. What’s changing. The policy will be renamed “Pharmaceutical products and services” and updated to let Authorized Buyers promote prescription drugs and prescription drug services in select countries where local law allows, without the Google certification normally required in Google Ads. While access is expanding, the rules are not loosening. The policy language is being reorganized to improve clarity and readability, not to relax enforcement. Why we care. This…

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one, with four logos in place of words. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it…