Flenn.

I travel a lot. And by a lot, I mean really a lot. I've flown more than two million miles and spent more than 1,000 nights in hotel rooms. Did I mention that I travel a lot? Here are some things I've learned about my phone's ability to make my travels a whole lot smoother that I hope you can use on your next trip. Happy trails! 1. Turn your calendar into a Swiss Army knife. If you’re not using a calendar that’s synced between your phone and laptop or is cloud-based (like on Google) then stop reading and go figure that out right now, dinosaur. Your calendar is a very powerful and valuable tool which can solve a lot of problems, but only if you use it properly. First, mobile calendars automatically adjust for the time difference when you travel, showing your appointments, flights and reservations in the local time (the time in the place you are in). So, if you put in all your flights, appointments, etc., into the calendar, you'll always know what’s what. If you're working on the road overseas, and have to be on conference calls back in the U.S., the appointments you made in your calendar before you left will show in the local time, so you won’t get confused and miss calls and deadlines. Pro tip: Add in all the details of your flights and hotel reservations, as well as the phone number and addresses of your destinations into the notes for each appointment. Isn't that a lot of work? Nope. Most confirmation emails from hotels and airlines include a link or an attachment which do it automatically with a click. When you're done, finding your way to your next appointment is a single touch on the address in your calendar -- the navigation app opens automagically -- and all the information about your next activity will be right there. No more frantically searching your emails for addresses and phone numbers. 2. Add a +1 to all your U.S. contact numbers. When you're overseas, the numbers in your phone may not work correctly, or not at all, because every country has its own unique way of dialing phone numbers. Adding +1 (1 is the country code for the U.S.) before all your important U.S. phone numbers in your mobile address book will usually fix all of that so that you’re able just to use your phone as you normally would. Otherwise, you're going to have to learn the prefix ("exit code”) for each country you visit, because even your home number is an international call when you're overseas. Pro tip: Make sure your personal contact information is stored correctly (including the +1) and complete. Sharing your contact card is a very tech-savvy look when people “ask for your number” -- just be sure there’s nothing stored in there you don't want to share (like your home address or passwords -- yes, some people do that). You can create a second contact card (”personal”) if you want to have one with all your secret deets. 3. Upgrade your passcode. If you don't use a complicated passcode to unlock your phone, you're asking for trouble. Besides having all your personal information, photos and who knows what else in it, your phone is the most perfect way for thieves to steal your identity. Thieves can use your phone to send and receive texts and emails posing as you, and can reset every password you have: banks, social sites, medical records, your video doorbell, webcams…Plus they can send pictures to your ex that might cause even bigger problems. And don’t forget about the codes to unlock your laptop or tablet you might leave behind in the hotel while you’re out. In the age of the cloud, access to any of those devices presents the same open doorway to making your life miserable. Pro Tip: If you're using fingerprint or FaceID to unlock your phone, good for you, but remember when you first bought the phone and set the password to “0000” because you never use it? Oops. Your phone’s password bypass just as easily unlocks it, so make it something complicated as if your life depends on it. 4. Get your airline and hotel apps. Before you leave, download the apps for your hotel and airline and sign in. The apps will instantly update you about flight delays and gate changes and often offer local tips and events during your stay. Most importantly, you’ll be able to make quick modifications to reservations on the move, so changing a flight or extending a hotel stay is a little less painful. Pro tip: These apps also include the proper international phone number to reach reservations and customer service, as well as the direct number to your hotel. 5. Your camera is good for more than selfies. If your phone is not from the bronze age, and you have location services turned on, the photos you take with your phone are precisely geotagged. This allows you to find a place you visited, or find out more information about something you might have seen, using the location embedded into the photo’s metadata. (Don't worry about the tech -- the phone does the work for you). Forgot to write down the name of that awesome locals-only pub? Opening a photo you took will allow you to find the location, and most of the time, the exact name. Pro tip: Remember that GPS works best outside, so if it’s somewhere you really want to remember, be sure to take a photo when you're leaving.

MPs will be asked to vote again on Brexit on Friday but only on part of the deal negotiated with the EU. They will vote on the withdrawal agreement on the Irish "backstop", divorce bill and citizens' rights. But it will not amount to a third "meaningful vote" on the deal, as it will not include a vote on the UK's future relationship with the EU. Amid anger from MPs, Andrea Leadsom said it was "crucial" if the UK wanted to secure a Brexit delay until 22 May. MPs will be debating the motion on the day the UK was supposed to leave the European Union - 29 March. BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said Theresa May was essentially asking MPs to turn it into a game of two halves - just voting on the first part of the deal which sorts out the UK's departure and leaving the longer term part for the next few weeks. But it is still not certain it will get through - both Labour and the Democratic Unionist Party say they will vote against the withdrawal agreement on Friday. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the withdrawal agreement could not be separated from the political declaration "because otherwise you move into a blindfold Brexit". The PM's deal includes a withdrawal agreement - setting out how much money the UK must pay to the EU as a settlement, details of the transition period, and the backstop arrangements - and a political declaration on the way the future EU-UK relationship will work. Last week the European Council agreed to postpone Brexit beyond the expected date of 29 March - offering an extension until 22 May, if MPs approved the withdrawal agreement by the end of this week. If not, it offered a shorter delay until 12 April - the date by which the UK would have to indicate whether it would stand candidates in the 2019 European Parliament elections - allowing the UK time to get the deal through or to "indicate a way forward". BBC Brussels reporter Adam Fleming said the official conclusions from last week's summit only mention the need to pass the withdrawal agreement by Friday, not the political declaration. Leader of the Commons Mrs Leadsom told MPs that the European Council would only agree to the 22 May extension if MPs approved the withdrawal agreement by 23:00 GMT on Friday. "It's crucial therefore that we make every effort to give effect to the council's decision and tomorrow's motion gives Parliament the opportunity to secure that extension," she said. "I think we can all agree that we don't want to be in the situation of asking for another extension and facing the potential requirement of participating in European Parliament elections." But she faced anger from some MPs. Labour's Mary Creagh described it as an "extraordinary and unprecedented reverse ferret of the commitments that have been made... that we should have our say on both items together". Friday's vote would not allow Parliament to ratify the withdrawal package, because Brexit legislation allows this only after the passage of a "meaningful vote" on both the Withdrawal Agreement and a Political Declaration on the future relationship. What do voters make of Brexit now? The government would either have to pass part two of the deal - the political declaration on the future relationship - at a later date, or change the law so that it is not needed to ratify the treaty. Some MPs questioned the government's motion, with Labour's Valerie Vaz saying "on the face of it breaks the law". "This is no way to run a government," she told MPs. And the Labour chairman of the Brexit select committee, Hilary Benn, asked if Brexit was delayed to 22 May, whether at that point it would "no longer be possible" to apply for a further extension beyond that - because it would be too late to take part in the European Parliamentary elections. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said he would address this point on Friday. Commons Speaker John Bercow said the government's "new" motion complied with his ruling that he would not allow a third "meaningful vote" on the motion MPs have already rejected twice by large margins. On Wednesday, the Commons failed to find a majority for a way forward after voting for eight different options to take Brexit forward - including leaving without a deal, creating a customs union and backing a confirmatory referendum on any deal. Brexit votes: What happens next? Mrs May told a meeting of Conservative backbenchers on Wednesday that she would not lead the talks with Brussels over the future relationship between the UK and EU and would resign as party leader after 22 May if her deal was passed, but stay on as PM until a new leader is elected. While she has won over some, including former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, a number of Brexiteers are still refusing to vote for the deal. She needs to win over 75 rebels to overturn the 149-vote rejection of her deal when it was last voted on, on 13 March. Meanwhile a petition calling for Brexit to be halted by revoking Article 50, which has attracted nearly six million signatures - is to be debated by MPs on Monday. They will also debate a petition calling for another EU referendum, which has more than 160,000 signatures, and another - with 165,000 signatures - demanding that "Parliament must honour the referendum result".

What’s this then? Screens on a steering wheel, obviously. It’s Hyundai’s vision of a future that involves replacing the majority of physical buttons with small touch displays. It might look radical at first glance, but given that we’re now seeing touchscreens replacing physical function buttons everywhere from on mobile phones to driving mode switches, this seems a pretty logical evolution. RIP buttons. Maybe. How does it work? The concept is pretty simple. The virtual buttons on the touch displays perform exactly the same functions as you might find on a wheel that uses physical buttons. You can adjust the volume, make and answer calls, listen to messages and cycle through the menu system on the instrument display in front of you, all by tapping away at the screens. Does it work well? Mostly, yes. The buttons are very clearly labelled and are easy to find, unlike on some physical buttons, which can be a bit fiddly and confusing. There are piezoelectric motors under the panels to provide haptic feedback, so you receive a confirmation ‘nudge’ every time you push the button successfully. There’s even the option to customise the button layout. For example you can ditch the volume buttons and replace them with shortcuts for navigation, car settings, or mobile phone functions — all by dragging and dropping icons from the car’s main dash-mounted touch display. Is it easy to use? For the most part, but it took me a while to get used to the fact I had two enormous displays in front of me. They may have very basic functions, but they proved slightly distracting to me because subconsciously I expected them to provide more features than they actually did. My instinct was to use them like I might use a mobile phone, swiping in search of more options or new icons, which of course isn’t possible. So you were using it wrong? Yes. A bit like a child swiping at a television because they expect it to have the same functionality as an iPad. I also found the ball of my hand would accidentally touch the screens while driving. Not enough to accidentally select an icon (you need to apply firm pressure for that to happen) but enough to highlight that icon, causing it to glow. This made me feel as if I was imminently about to select something by mistake, which is less than ideal when you need to be focused on the road ahead. So it’s distracting? Not if you’re used to it, I guess. Hyundai says it has organised driver distraction clinics where they placed people in a simulator, strapped cameras to their eyeballs and asked them to perform specific functions, both while standing still and driving the car. They reckon user feedback was positive and distraction levels, measured by the amount of time people spent looking at the steering wheel, were low. Looks a bit weird though, doesn’t it? Perhaps. Like Hyundai slapped a pair of those Doro phones on the steering wheel — the ones designed for the elderly or short sighted. But this is just a prototype, so if it ever does come to market I’m sure Hyundai can make them look a little less less… gigantic. Will this ever be seen in a real car? Maybe, but not any time soon. The system still needs a lot of work before it’s ready for public use, but top secret customer clinics are underway. Hyundai, to its credit, seems pretty serious about the project, and has invested plenty of time and effort into developing ever more effective iterations of the system - moving from mouse touchpads to what you see here.

Intel is preparing a new series of 9th Generation Core processors which will feature a new stepping which has been confirmed by various motherboard manufacturers. The new processors are said to be available in the coming month with BIOS support already being rolled out on existing 300 series motherboards. Intel Readies 9th Generation Core Processors With New Stepping, Motherboard Manufacturers Roll Out BIOS Support The motherboard support listings confirm that the new ‘R0’ stepping processors are coming soon and there’s already BIOS support being rolled out by major manufacturers such as ASRock, ASUS and Gigabyte. Once we get closer to the availability of the new stepping based processors, more board partners should start rolling out the BIOS support for their respective 300 series products. As far as the stepping is concerned, there’s no information available as to what the ‘R0’ stepping based processors would change over the existing ‘P0’ stepping models. Intel’s 9th Generation Core family has been available for a while now and this would be the first major stepping update to a Core processor lineup in some time. The 8th Generation Core processors carried the ‘U0’ stepping. Previously, we have seen that new steppings to an existing CPU lineup carried some important fixes or small updates that directly affected the overall performance of the processors themselves, whether that be through a change in clock speeds or the thermal design power. Right now, we can not say for sure what the ‘R0’ stepping processors bring to the table but we should expect them to roll out in the coming month. ASRock has an official press release stating that the 9th Gen CPUs with ‘R0’ stepping launch in Q2 2019 and they have a huge range of their 300-series products now added to support the new P4.00 BIOS with more models being added soon. ASUS and Gigabyte have also started working on their latest BIOS to support the new ‘R0’ 9th Gen CPUs. The F9 BIOS from Gigabyte is now available on various Z390 series motherboards and the respective BIOS for the rest of their 300 series motherboards are also available. ASUS, on the other hand, is also releasing the new BIOS for several of their Z390, H370, B360 and H310 series boards which can be seen in the press release over here. We will keep you updated as to when Intel releases the new R0 stepping based 9th Gen CPUs and what features or updates they bring over the existing P0 stepping based models.

Microsoft has (sort of) paused deployment of the latest preview build of Windows 10 in the slow ring, and is no longer offering it to those upgrading from the previous build, after these testers ran into trouble with installation issues. Hopefully, this isn’t a sign that the incoming April 2019 Update (as it will supposedly be named) is going to be delayed – more on that shortly. This all started at the end of last week, when Microsoft released a new preview build 18362 (for the April 2019 Update, aka 19H1) to Windows Insiders in the slow ring. As soon as that happened, the software giant began to receive reports from testers who said the build failed to install. After investigating the matter, Microsoft has now said that there is an issue with the previous build’s 18356.16 (KB4494123) Cumulative Update, and this is what’s causing build 18362 to produce an error message rather than successfully install. So for the time being, the new build 18362 won’t be offered to testers on 18356.16, until Microsoft can resolve the problem (although note that the new build will still be offered to slow ring testers upgrading from earlier versions). Fixing a hole In a blog post update, Microsoft said: “The team is currently working on a fix now … We will post another update once we release the fix and resume the Build 18362 flight.” There’s no indication given of how long it might take to cure this particular gremlin. As this build is rumored to be the RTM (release to manufacturing – effectively the finished version) of Windows 10 April 2019 Update, the incident has likely caused some folks to worry a little about whether this could potentially be a spanner in the works in terms of delaying the imminent update. Realistically, that seems unlikely, though, and any delay caused by this hiccup is likely to be short, or indeed completely insignificant (hopefully that will be the case, anyway). Meanwhile, the affected testers on the slow ring will just have to sit tight and wait for Microsoft’s solution to be implemented. Build 18362 still has a few known issues including problems with Creative X-Fi sound cards and crashes being triggered by games which use certain anti-cheat software.

Overview What is it? A convertible Ferrari Pista. Which means it’s the drop-top version of the Pista Coupe, itself a limited-run, track-biased über-488 - ‘Pista’ literally translating as ‘track’. Or ‘dancefloor’ depending on who you talk to, but that’s another story entirely. Anyway, it’s an origami-roof version of Top Gear’s ‘Supercar of the Year 2018’, and therefore the custodian of a great deal of weighty expectation, because no one really wants the Pista’s sterling efforts chamfered soft by a weaker, poseur-oriented sibling. That’s if you could accuse Ferrari’s fastest-ever, most-powerful and best-power-to-weighted convertible as not having enough bite to go with the racy aesthetic. Mind you, this one’s not a surprise, and the basics of the non-Pista Ferrari 488 Spider we know to be excellent: a neat little Z-fold, two-panel hardtop that electrically stows behind the seats (roosting over the engine) in about 14 seconds, up to speeds of 35mph. It still feels pretty cosy in there, mind - more like a lift-out roof panel than a full-on convertible - but there’s nothing wrong with the way it operates. Again, just like the standard 488 Spider, it looks excellent roof up or down, and darker-coloured cars hide the roof split lines better than light - and it doesn’t really lose any of the Pista’s ‘whoa’ factor when it turns up. Especially in yellow with a blue stripe. Saying that, spec all the lightweight options including full carbonfibre wheels and the Spider weighs around 50kg more than the ‘standard’ Pista, which is anything but standard, and itself up to 90kg lighter than a normal 488 GTB. All the other metrics are the same - so it’s got the same downforce and aero properties roof up, the same trick bits and carbonfibre extremities. Similar story with the engine, which is the same as the Coupe - a race-derived twin-turbo 3.9-litre V8 with 710bhp and 568lb ft, served up through a double-clutch ‘box and a selection of horrendously complicated differentials-slash-electronic programmes, capable of launching the car from 0-62mph in 2.85 seconds and on to a top speed of well over 200mph. I have no doubt it will hit these numbers. And just for reference, the Spider is indeed slower to 62mph than the Coupe, but if you can differentiate the 0.1 second difference when the Pista Spider launches and your face twangs back past your ears, you’re a more sensitive human than me. Basically it does everything a Pista does, but you always have the option of slinging back the roof and expanding your view/aural appreciation. Driving What is it like on the road? Let’s spoil the surprise - the Pista Spider goes as hard as the coupe, but you can hear it more clearly, and get a bit of a tan if it’s sunny. Dynamically there is a tiny, tiny difference, but it’s not enough to inherently change the way the car behaves. Yes, it weighs a little bit more than the Coupe, and if you’re on the right road, at a specific speed and have a Coupe to compare back-to-back, you might be able to figure out some minor correction of structural rigidity not found in the hardtop, but it’s negligible. So this one’s purely really down to personal choice, or whether you think a hard top track car is just that little bit purer of intention - which is absolutely valid. Just don’t go thinking that you’ll outrun someone in a Pista Spider with a Coupe, because you… uh… won’t. A lot of the impact comes from the engine, designed very specifically to mimic as much as possible the effects of a naturally-aspirated motor. Except that nothing atmospheric builds a wall of torque like this, or manages the boost so that each gear grabs hold of the forward view and headbutts you through it. It’s a monster. Each step on the Mannetino wheel-mounted switch brings a different character, faster shifting, harder edges. In Race mode, as that pedal drops and feeds digital amphetamine to the car’s ECU, strange things happen. Yes, air and fuel combine with a spark to make good things happen, but time and space get twanged like a guitar string, the world gets stretched like chewing gum. And your face looks like someone punched you hard in the forehead. The violent analogies seem to be the most appropriate. There’s wheelspin in third. And fourth if you’re heavy-handed and on a slightly slick surface. It’s streetfight quick - brutal and disorientating. But the best thing is that the Pista isn’t actually that much of a handful. I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but getting to within 8/10ths of a Pista isn’t actually that hard - the combination of E-diff, side-slip control and all of Ferrari’s various other mechanical magics make it fairly easy to drive hard. Not easy to get the absolute maximum out of, but definitely no harder to drive than the 488 GTB, and some way short of the holy-cow-I’m-going-to-die razor edge of something like an F12tdf. It’s also interesting how natural all the tech feels. Once you start delving into the systems of the Pista, you realise there’s a set of controls so massively complex you have to sit down with expert instruction for several hours to prevent your brain simply liquefying and dripping out of your ears. But on the road it just feels… right. In fact, there are situations where the Pista feels almost four-wheel drive, dragging the front end around when you think it should wash wide, dealing with big bumps where you reckon it might just bounce. And the Spider does all of this with the exhaust howling harder than the Coupe, and the more intimate feeling of hearing those shotgun gearshifts engaging. Dropping from, say, fifth to second down through the gears for a tight hairpin is one of life’s great joys. Saying that, I probably need more hobbies. There is a slight feeling that if you were searching for criticism, you could say that Ferrari has spent so much time trying to make a turbo engine sound and react like a naturally-aspirated motor that it has failed to recognise that turbocharged cars are a ‘performance sound’ in themselves. For the hardcore track-biased cars, there would be very little wrong with having a waterfall of induction or an avian massacre of twittering wastegate. Or just a less ‘managed’ torque curve. Just let it be silly - forced induction isn’t in some way inferior or embarrassing. But that’s a small criticism. On the inside Layout, finish and space Inside the Spider is no different to the Pista, so it’s a slather of carbon, lots of switches, a pleasant and ergonomic enough place to be. The seats are excellent - you’ll need those side-bolsters - the roof well enough insulated. It’s not church quiet, but you wouldn’t want it to be. True, with the aerodynamic ’S-Duct’ cutting into the nose there’s not as much luggage space as a GTB, and you lose the drama of seeing the engine bay in all its glory (the roof mechanism sits on top), but if you’re going to have a car with this level of performance, you should expect some compromise. We loose-packed enough kit for a day out taking pictures, and it worked, so there’s enough space for a weekend away and you wouldn’t want to fill every orifice if you were on a trackday anyway. There are a myriad of screens and temperature monitors - including one to tell you when you’ve warmed up the Michelin Pilot Cup2s to the consistency of blu-tack - plenty of things to fiddle with. It doesn’t feel like a ‘track special’ to be honest - certainly not in the same way as a caged Porsche GT3 RS or similar - but that in itself is probably appealing to a Ferrari owner. If you stuck this car on slicks and put some harnesses in it, you’d be looking at serious laptimes, but it’s probably happier out in the sunshine on a nice road laying waste to pretty much everything.

The dangers that poor sleep poses to human beings have been well-documented, Entrepreneurs, in particular, are susceptible to those risks. We work long hours, are prone to stress, and carry loads of information in our brains. None of these habits are conducive to good sleep. Moreover, business owners are particularly eager to embrace a “too busy” status as a badge of honor or strength. We don’t stop to think about what it really means - that we aren’t efficient enough to get our work done in a reasonable workday. Noted entrepreneur and inventor Elon Musk fell victim to this faulty thinking in a big way, as evidenced by an interview he gave to The New York Times in August 2018. In that interview, he attributed a string of business and personal crises to 120-hour workweeks. That’s no way to live, but it’s a potentially dangerous way to run a business. Follow these five steps to reclaim good sleep and improve your performance at work. 1. Understand the dangers of poor and insufficient sleep As admirable as Musk's many business accomplishments are, it's a bit dismaying to see his apparent periodic lack of appreciation for just how essential good sleep is. Consider what happens as you carry and further build a sleep deficit: Reduced hand-eye coordination Decreased response time Memory deficits Increased feelings of depression Weakened immune system 2. Find out how much sleep you really need. Establish how much sleep you actually need. Statistics show teens need quite a bit (ten to twelve hours), while the need may diminish as we age. Seniors may need considerably less sleep than they did when they were younger. More sleep isn’t always the answer, either. In fact, it’s possible that too much sleep can be just as much of a problem for performance. Some studies suggest that longer sleep sessions may be associated with reduced cognitive ability, at least for adults in middle age. Generally speaking, seven to eight hours of sleep a night is optimal for most individuals. However, it’s possible that some people need less or more. To find out, remove or minimize as many distractions as you can that might interrupt your sleep and turn off your morning alarms. 3. Create an optimal environment for good sleep. Just as important as the amount of sleep you get is the quality of that sleep. Ten hours of restless tossing and turning, punctuated by long hours of wakefulness, may well result in a foggier state of mind than four hours of high-quality uninterrupted sleep. Increasing the quality of your sleep is often a function of different factors such as environment or pre-sleep habits. To create an environment that helps you get the most restful sleep, adjust each of the following factors as necessary: Room temperature: Science suggests that regulating your room temperature is an important factor in making your sleep better. Cooler rooms reportedly help maintain a feeling of tiredness. They also help stop sleep disruptions that can occur in warmer environments. The optimal temperature range seems to fall between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Electronic usage: One of the quickest ways to ruin a good night’s sleep is to use mobile devices at night. The blue light emitted by mobile displays disrupts your body’s natural production of melatonin and alters your body’s natural circadian rhythms. Ambient and outside light: Install blackout shades on your windows to ensure outside light sources don’t disturb your sleep. Weighted blankets: A relatively recent development in sleep hygiene is the weighted blanket. There isn’t much research on the issue yet, but some studies suggest that the added heft and pressure of a weighted blanket can aid in physical relaxation, leading to better, deeper rest. 4. Create positive routines that result in good sleep. The second half of the quality sleep equation is to establish soothing routines that help signal to your body that it’s time to sleep. Establish a comforting wind-down ritual and repeat it every evening. For example, a warm (but not too hot) bath or shower, and a few minutes of restorative yoga, can make a world of difference. I also like to read before bed (I forego the spy novels and choose spiritual or philosophical material). Also, try a few minutes of journaling. All of these can help you wind down before bedtime. 5. Explore sleep aids. As a last resort, explore over the counter (OTC) and prescription sleep aids. You may want to concentrate specifically on non-prescription medications and supplements in the beginning. However, even OTC sleep aids can present health risks to some, especially if misused or used for prolonged periods of time. Medications like Unisom, Tylenol PM or Benadryl may not be the best answer for continued use. Other products you can try include melatonin, St. Johns Wort, and chamomile (generally consumed as a tea). If you’re taking other medication, especially prescription drugs, talk to your doctor before starting any other supplement or medication. Even OTC supplements can interact dangerously with some medicines. Prescription medications should never be your first choice, as they carry serious potential side effects. Your doctor may want to order a sleep study first to rule out sleep apnea and other physical conditions.

Theresa May has promised Tory MPs she will stand down if they back her EU withdrawal deal. She told backbench Tories: "I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party." The PM said she knew that Tory MPs did not want her to lead the next phase of Brexit negotiations "and I won't stand in the way of that". She did not name a departure date at a packed meeting of the 1922 committee. But the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg said a Tory leadership contest could be expected in May. It comes as MPs seize control of the Commons agenda to hold votes on alternatives to the deal. Mrs May told the 300 or so Tory MPs at the meeting "we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit". "I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty - to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit." The BBC's Iain Watson said Boris Johnson - a likely contender in any leadership contest - was smiling broadly as he left the meeting. Tory MP Simon Hart said the mood in the 1922 meeting was "respectful" as the prime minister set out her plan. He said: "She was passionate about getting the deal through, passionate about keeping the party together and passionate about keeping the government as the government, passionate about keeping Jeremy Corbyn out of Number 10." Despite the nature of the meeting, Mr Hart joked that "neither the Chief Whip nor the PM were crying". The PM has said she wants to bring the deal back to the Commons this week, after it was previously rejected twice, by large margins. Speaker calls for changes Commons Speaker John Bercow ruled last week that the government could not return for a third attempt, unless there had been "substantial" changes to the proposals. And he warned ministers earlier that they should "not seek to circumvent my ruling" by introducing procedures that could reverse his judgement. But a Downing Street spokesman said there had been a "significant development" at the summit in Brussels last week, after Mrs May agreed "extra reassurances" over the Irish backstop with the EU, and the date of exit had changed. Many Tory Brexiteers are looking to the Democratic Unionist Party, who have led opposition to the PM's deal, before deciding whether to get behind it. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chairman of the European Research Group of Tory Brexiteers, told the BBC: "I think that we have got to the point where legally leaving is better than not leaving at all. "Half a loaf is better than no bread." He said his only condition for supporting the deal was that Mrs May wins round the DUP. "I won't abandon the DUP because I think they are the guardians of the union of the United Kingdom," he said.

Would you like to know the "one rule to creating balance in your life”? Here it is -- “There is no one rule!” It’s a recipe, or rather a combination of things that help you achieve the life you desire. However, there is one truth, and that truth is that the quality of your life depends on the people in your life. Imagine you live your life in one room, and that one room has only one door. Now imagine this door is an “Enter Only” door, “No Exit!” Whoever comes through this door will be in your room and your life -- forever! They can never get out. Luckily, this is a metaphor, but let’s assume for a moment it is true. If so, would you be more selective about the people that you let into your life? Everyone I’ve ever talked to has said, “oh yeah, definitely!” So the question then is: Why aren’t we more selective? In fact I would argue that the “Room Principle” is more than a metaphor. Think for a moment about someone who was once in your life, but now they are no longer part of it. Think of their name. Remember how they created chaos in your life. Maybe they were angry or toxic or just difficult to be around. Take a moment: Do you have someone in mind? Well, if they’re still in your head, they’re still in your in your room, because every decision you make in the future will be based in part on past experiences you had with this person. Neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Amen says, “Significant input that is received in your brain triggers neural activity that cannot simply be erased.” In other words, their fingerprints are all over your brain. This means that if you want to create your best life, you need to learn how to screen entry into your room. For this, I recommend the “Doorman Principle.” The "doorman" guards entry into your room and your life. This is your conscious and subconscious mind. It is a process of thought and feelings to help you determine whether your door should remain closed or be opened to allow someone entry into your life. The first thing you need to do is train your doorman on your values. This is important, because you want to allow people into your room who have values that are resonant with yours. They don’t have to be the same values, but they can’t be dissonant or incongruent with yours. When I ask people to name their top 5-7 values, you can generally hear crickets. So here’s a great technique to begin the training: I recommend you start with your “deal breakers.” These are people in your room with incongruent behaviors. These are things you refuse to allow into your room and into your life from now on. They may be things like being toxic, exhibiting excess drama or not being truthful or positive. They are things you just can’t stand to be around. When you start understanding these, it’s easier to move towards things you do want around you. Understanding your values and training your Doorman will help you screen all the future people who try to gain entry into your room, but what do you do with some of the negative or toxic people that are already there? Here are two great techniques to use: First is “Benign Neglect.” This is where you gradually reduce contact and interaction with someone. Assuming you don’t want to burn bridges, but you do want to remove yourself from the relationship, a gradual dis-entanglement over a period of time is very effective. This works even when you don’t want it to. Think about someone you really did like but with whom you lost touch over the years. This generally happens through unplanned benign neglect. Now, imagine achieving this with a plan. The second way to help you address people in your room you wish you hadn’t allowed entry to is through “Homeopathic Doses.” A homeopathic dose is the minimum dose necessary to treat a problem. In this case, it’s about dealing with people in your room by structuring your interaction in very small doses. The takeaway to consider: People can effect your happiness if you let them. The secret to not letting them, is to curate the room you desire because the quality of your life depends on the people in your life.

The options for Brexit "are narrowing", Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said, after MPs voted to seize control of the parliamentary timetable. The PM was dealt a fresh blow as the government was defeated by 27 votes on Monday, on a plan designed to find out the kind of deal MPs would support. Thirty Conservative MPs rebelled, including three ministers. Mr Hancock said the government would listen to MPs but "can't pre-commit to following whatever they vote for". He told Radio 4's Today programme that the Commons had rejected no deal and a second referendum, and urged MPs to back the PM's Brexit deal. Richard Harrington, Alistair Burt and Steve Brine resigned to join the rebels, with Mr Harrington accusing the government of "playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods" of Britons. On Monday night, MPs voted in favour of Conservative backbencher Sir Oliver Letwin's cross-party amendment, which will allow MPs to put forward motions relating to Brexit - most likely a series of so-called indicative votes. Because of this, MPs will be able to vote on a number of options on Wednesday - likely to include a "softer Brexit", a customs union with the EU and another referendum - designed to test the will of Parliament to see what, if anything, commands a majority. The prime minister said she was "sceptical" about the process - as it was not guaranteed to produce a majority for any one course of action - and she would not commit the government to abiding by the result. "The votes could lead to an outcome that is un-negotiable with the EU," she told MPs. Mr Hancock told Today: "In the previous votes there have been a multitude of potential different options - the sorts of options, like a second referendum, which I think would be a bad idea, that's been rejected. "The idea of having a no deal…the Commons is absolutely clear it won't allow and will legislate against it if necessary. "That means that the options are narrowing." He added: "So therefore those who want us to leave and who have previously been voting against the deal because they would prefer a no deal...the best way now to deliver on Brexit is to vote for the prime minister's deal." When asked if the prime minister will abide by the indicative votes, Mr Hancock said: "Clearly, it's incumbent on the government to listen to what the Commons says. "But we can't pre-commit to following whatever they vote for, because they might vote for something that is completely impractical." But Labour's Hilary Benn said MPs have to take responsibility for the Brexit process because the government was not doing its job. Mr Benn, chairman of the Commons Exiting the European Union Committee, told the Today programme: "If the government isn't going to do its job then Parliament is going to have to take responsibility, and that is what we are doing on Wednesday." Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the Eurosceptic group of Tory MPs the European Research Group (ERG), is among the group of pro-Brexit MPs who the prime minister has been trying to persuade to back her deal. On his ConservativeHome podcast, he said: "I have always thought that no deal is better than Mrs May's deal, but Mrs May's deal is better than not leaving at all." European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt said he was "very pleased" the Letwin amendment had been voted for "because that means it is possible now to work towards a cross-party proposal". What's happening this week? Tuesday: Theresa May has a meeting of her cabinet. Tuesday had been considered as a possible day for the so-called third meaningful vote on Mrs May's withdrawal deal. But, on Monday, the PM said the deal did not have enough support to get through the Commons "as things stand". Wednesday: This is when indicative votes would be held - we don't know yet whether MPs will be free to vote how they want or be directed along party lines. The prime minister is also due to address the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers. Thursday: A possible opportunity for meaningful vote three. The prime minister may hope that Brexiteers will finally decide to throw their weight behind her deal. Friday: This is written into law as the day the UK leaves the EU, although the PM has said she will pass legislation this week to remove it. The earliest Brexit is likely to happen is now 12 April. Mr Burt, who resigned as Foreign Office minister on Monday night, said in a statement that he had opted to defy the whip "for the country's sake". He said the UK was "running out of time" to find an alternative and added that Parliament should seek other options without the instruction of party whips and the government "should adopt any feasible outcome as its own". Former industry minister Mr Harrington said in his resignation letter that in his role he had been told the government approach was "resulting in cancelled investment decisions, business being placed abroad and a sense of ridicule for British businesses". Mr Brine, who quit as a health minister, said he believed the PM's deal was the "best of the options" and for those who do not like the deal "maybe they will realise that the House of Commons is prepared to act and anything from here, as far as they're concerned, gets softer". Parliament is also expected to pass a law this week postponing the Brexit date from 29 March. A Department for Exiting the EU spokesman said that when considering Brexit options, MPs should take account of how long negotiating them would take and whether this would require a longer delay and the UK having to take part in European Parliamentary elections. Those elections are taking place between 23 and 26 May. Both the British government and European Commission believe that if the UK has not exited the EU by the end of May it will be legally required to hold elections. MPs involved in the bid on Monday night say if there is a majority for a plan that's not the prime minister's deal then there would be "uproar" if Theresa May tried to ignore it. It is possible, of course, that Brexiteers who have been resisting the prime minister's deal so far take fright at Parliament having more control of the process, and are more likely to come in line. That's because, generally, the make-up of MPs are more likely to back a softer deal than the one on offer. So faced with the choice of Theresa May's compromise this week, or a much longer wrangle to a closer relationship with the EU than the prime minister has negotiated, it is not impossible that the numbers will move in her favour.

The Ford Fiesta and Focus are going hybrid. Well, kinda. Ford is giving them both the option of mild hybrid technology from 2020 as it aims to “bring the benefits of electrification to greater numbers of consumers”. Slapping it onto two of Britain’s best selling cars will certainly do that. Ford’s adamant that while the system will cut fuel use (and thus save money), it won’t impact on how fun the Fiesta and Focus are to drive, the system also helping provide more power. Hurrah! Like the mild hybrid systems we’ve seen elsewhere, it sees a regular alternator replaced by a generator that’s able to recoup energy usually lost during braking, using it to charge a 48v battery pack. This can then feed back to a motor that supplements the power delivery of Ford’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost engine during acceleration. The boost is able to fill the gap normally left by turbo lag, thus Ford has taken it as an opportunity to give the engine a bigger turbo for more power. More details will be revealed in April, when we can expect final figures and suchlike. Currently, the 1.0 produces anywhere between 85bhp and 140bhp depending on the model it sits in, and we don’t know where amongst this the mild hybrid version will be pitched. Ford says its aiming for CO2 emissions as low as 106g/km, though, which is what a 125bhp Focus currently produces. That suggests the power output of the mild hybrid will sit above that once you’ve accounted for the emissions its electrical assistance has saved. Oh, and if you need more room, then the Transit is getting similar tech too…

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Call it what you will: a journal, a chronicle, a diary. These documents aren't just for teenagers scribbling furiously about intoxicating crushes or unsympathetic parents; they're powerful tools for people of all ages, startup leaders and entrepreneurs included. Look no further than the examples of the powerful memoirs Memoirs typically begin as journaled thoughts and ideas, and that makes sense, as there is an inherent beauty in using words to make sense of life’s ups and downs. Maybe that's why people take advantage of the wide array of advantages that come with putting pen to paper or fingers to a keyboard. Maybe you're polishing up your writing to vie for that coveted Mensa invitation; perhaps you're seeking a distraction from the physical discomforts of the common cold. But whatever your motivation for journaling, this task may just be the most underrated, yet desperately needed, item in any leader’s tool kit. Aside from being a journaling advocate myself, I know many entrepreneurial colleagues who insist that daily writing grounds them. They leverage this mode of self-reflection to make outside-the-box decisions, all the while releasing those pent-up pressures that come from "being in charge." As unglamorous as journaling may seem, it provides a host of benefits, beginning with connecting the dots. Connecting the dots Entrepreneurship is one of the craziest rides in the world. Yet spending merely 15 minutes a day writing and documenting allows you to tap into a new level of mindfulness so you can survive the zaniness. I know because I have reveled in writing's advantages. Foremost is the fact that, writing allows you to stop reacting and start planning and prioritizing. Journaling makes it easier to develop an objective outlook. Consequently, what seems overwhelming on the surface can take on a much lighter sheen after pause and reflection. Journaling also can improve your speaking skills. Why? Writing is an organizational process: The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Eventually, your brain gets better at organizing ideas, whether you are writing them or saying them. Having clarity of thought in any situation is a huge asset for anyone with the desire to contribute and succeed. In a nutshell, expressive writing is incredibly therapeutic. When you jot down complex problems, you free up space in your head. Stepping back, you can see a clearer path to overcome what once seemed to be an insurmountable challenge. This type of introspection keeps you grounded and focused. Additionally, it prevents you from making those same self-defeating mistakes again and again. How to commit to writing So, how to begin? If you think you have no time to journal, you are mistaken. Everyone has the same 24 hours. How you use yours can make all the difference. Incorporating journaling into your daily or weekly schedule requires just a few slight changes. 1. Pick up the habit. Set aside a few minutes to journal every day or so. Just 10 minutes is enough to get your writing going, as long as you do it consistently. Even LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner sets aside no fewer than 90 minutes every day to accomplish tasks other than leading. If he can block off sizable chunks of time, so can you. Be certain to choose a time that works best for your lifestyle, such as before bed or first thing in the morning. 2. Turn off your internal editor and go. Grammar and spelling are not important: Data dumping is. Expose your thoughts, feelings and frustrations without getting too critical. Write what you want, how you want. Journaling is not the time to write the Great American Novel, although you might find that you end up becoming an author thanks to your constant writing. Basecamp co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson has written several books and believes self-directed writing helps his overall efficacy and proliferation. 3. Allow your writing to evolve. Your journaling process will be completely unique to your needs, so allow themes, linkages, triggers and organizational motifs to develop. You may be surprised at how strong your personal brand becomes after systematic journaling for a few weeks or months. Take Elon Musk, for example. His social media account has been heralded as a look into the real deal, who he is at the core. In other words, even 280-character entries can illustrate your essence as effectively as a longer, manuscript-length book might. Related: 5 Goal-Setting Journals to Take You From Intention to the Finish Line Although one of my own reasons for journaling was to prepare me to write an upcoming book, I have experienced far more than I expected from my journey into journaling. Make no mistake: The benefits of writing will far surpass your expectations. Best of all, you can do it anytime and anywhere -- starting now.

US President Donald Trump's campaign did not conspire with Russia during the 2016 election, a summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report says. The allegation clouded the first two years of Mr Trump's presidency and his allies see the report's finding as a boost to his re-election chances. But Attorney General William Barr's summary is inconclusive as to whether Mr Trump obstructed justice. Opposition Democrats are demanding full access to Mr Mueller's report. Having repeatedly described the inquiry as a witch hunt, Mr Trump said it was an "illegal takedown that failed". Despite the inconclusiveness of the report regarding his alleged obstruction of justice, the president said it constituted "complete and total exoneration". What does the summary say? "The special counsel did not find that any US person or Trump campaign official conspired or knowingly co-ordinated with Russia," Mr Barr writes. On the issue of whether justice was obstructed, Mr Mueller's report says: "While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." How have Trump's allies responded? White House adviser Kellyanne Conway sent the president "congratulations" on Twitter, saying: "Today you won the 2016 election all over again. And got a gift for the 2020 election." "They'll never get you because they'll never 'get' you." Mr Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said the report had been better than he had expected while Republican Senator Mitt Romney welcomed the "good news", tweeting that it was now "time for the country to move forward". What are the Democrats saying? Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement that Mr Barr's letter "raises as many questions as it answers" and called for access to the full report. "For the president to say he is completely exonerated directly contradicts the words of Mr Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility," the statement said. Congressman Jerry Nadler, the Democratic Chair of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, emphasised that Mr Trump had not been cleared of obstructing justice. "Barr says that the president may have acted to obstruct justice, but that for an obstruction conviction, 'the government would need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person, acting with corrupt intent, engaged in obstructive conduct'." Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate's Judiciary Committee, said that while there was a lack of evidence to support "a prosecutable criminal conspiracy", questions remained over whether Mr Trump had been compromised. What happens next? The release of the report's key findings on Sunday could mark the start of a lengthy battle to see the entire Mueller report made public. Whenever further details are handed to Congress, Democrats may mount legal challenges if it is anything less than the entire report. Jerry Nadler said he would ask Mr Barr to testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee "in the near future" over "very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department". About a dozen other investigations are continuing into Mr Trump's activities. These include a federal inquiry in New York into possible election law violations by the Trump campaign and his businesses, and possible misconduct by the Trump inaugural committee. Congress is also continuing its own inquiries, mostly in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. A very good day for Trump Attorney General Barr summarises, mostly in his own words, the conclusions of the special counsel's investigation. In one key line, however, he directly quotes the report. "The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or co-ordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." There, in Robert Mueller's own words, is the end result of nearly two years of work, 2,800 subpoenas, hundreds of search warrants and countless hours of interviews. There were "multiple offers" of help from "Russian-affiliated individuals" to the Trump campaign, but they never took the bait. There was, as Donald Trump might say, "no collusion". At least, no evidence of it was unearthed. The obstruction of justice component is a murkier matter. The decision of whether to charge Mr Trump with interference with the various investigations wasn't Mr Mueller's. Saying it involved "difficult issues", the former FBI director punted. Instead, Mr Barr - in consultation with Department of Justice staff - decided not to prosecute, in part because there was no apparent underlying crime to obstruct. Make no mistake, today was a very good day for Mr Trump. While a bevy of inquiries into his presidency will grind on, the shadow of Mr Mueller's investigation - hovering over the White House since May 2017 - has been lifted.

Porsche’s next hypercar is likely to be pure-electric, according to CEO Oliver Blume. “We have a big history here, and we’ll have one in the future,” he told TG.com during the reveal of the new Cayenne Coupe (pictured after the 918, above). “It has to be the best in the market, the highest performing… right now we haven’t got a concept for that car. But might it be a pure-electric car? Yes.” This likely 918 successor would top out a Porsche range that is about to undergo a dramatic transformation. The pure-EV Taycan will debut in September, adding a third pillar to the company’s powertrain strategy, alongside the existing petrol engines and fast-growing plug-in hybrids. The Cross Turismo arrives in 2021, and the next-gen Macan will appear at the same time, in EV and petrol iterations. Around 20,000 customers have each placed a €2500 deposit on the Taycan, prompting Porsche to revise its production targets for the car. “I drove it in Sweden three weeks ago,” Blume smiles. “It will have a driving dynamic you have never seen on before on an electric car. There will be GT3 drivers who will be interested in the Taycan, and have both of them. A dream garage.” Porsche is also actively considering making the next generation Cayenne fully electric, if or more likely when solid state battery technology and the cells’ energy density tip the balance. “On the engine side, we have a mix of high performance petrol engines, plug-in hybrids, and electro-mobility. We think we’re well prepared for the next 10 years,” Blume insists. “They will sit side-by-side for two to three years, and then we can decide. Some markets want electric now, others aren’t ready because the infrastructure isn’t there. In Russia, it’s about petrol cars, in China the demand is for electric.” Porsche made an €18.7m investment into Croatian electric powertrain genius Rimac last June, signalling an increasing willingness to engage in strategic tie-ups. “Partnering will be much more important in the future. For me, it’s important that we have a challenging partner, with the knowledge, the experience, and that works on the same level – or one that pushes us,” says Blume. “Mate Rimac is an expert, very ambitious, and the perfect partner to do prototypes and small, clever solutions. It’s not just in electro-mobility: we have partners in finance, in digitalisation… every month a bigger net of partners.” The company is also exploring subscription schemes and has piloted one in Atlanta, called Passport. It costs between $2-3k per month, and gives ‘owners’ access to the entire model range. Blume says it has been particularly successful with a younger audience. Meanwhile, Porsche is experimenting with ride-hailing schemes in China with Didi, and Uber in the US. Blume also insists that, despite selling 256,000 cars last year, Porsche remains customer rather than volume-focused. The 991 enjoyed its best-ever sales year in its run-out phase, thanks to a series of clever special editions. There will be more where that came from, and the flat-six will remain core to the car. “[That engine] is the 911,” Blume says firmly. There will also be more ultra- special editions like last summer’s Rennsport Reunion 935 – of which only 77 will be made. “We have lots of ideas,” Blume says, “it’s just not something you can’t do five times per year. But we know that our customers enjoy very exclusive, very special tailor made cars.”