You Wouldnt Steal a Car, one of the most infamous anti-piracy campaigns of all time, used a pirated font to spell out its slogan. The creator of the real font, called FF Confidential, told 404 Media the irony is extremely funny indeed.Piracy. Its a Crime was a series of PSAs that in 2024 was a joint project between the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore and the Motion Picture Association, and has been widely parodied in the two decades since. It is most famously (mis)remembered as You Wouldnt Download a Car, and has spawned a huge number of memes over the years. Last week, Melissa Lewis, a data reporter at the Center for Investigative Reporting, pointed out that the very recognizable font used by the campaign, called FF Confidential, was created by famous font designer Just van Rossum.Lewiss thread made the rounds, and eventually several folks (including Lewis) pointed out that, actually, the You Wouldnt Steal a Car campaign did not use the font FF Confidential and instead used a pirated clone of the font called Xband Rough, which was confirmed by a Bluesky user named Rib, who downloaded a 2005 PDF from the campaign saved on the Internet Archives Wayback Machine which used the pirated version of the font. Van Rossum confirmed to 404 Media that Xband Rough was an illegal ripoff of his original font.I was aware of the campaign using my font, but not that they actually used the illegal clone, he said. The irony is extremely funny indeed.All of this may feel like relatively obscure ancient internet history, but the discovery actually helped surface even more obscure history about the origins of the Xband Rough pirated font. Internet freedom activist and friend of 404 Media Parker Higgins has, over the years, sought the origins of the Xband Rough font, and the confirmation from van Rossum that it was a pirated version of FF Confidential helped fill in some blanks.During the 2016 Google v Oracle trial (the specifics of which are beyond the scope of this blog but which had to do with whether Google reimplementing parts of Oracles Java APIs and source code was fair use under copyright law), Higgins made You Wouldnt Reimplement an API t-shirts and stickers using Xband Rough. Higgins sold roughly 1,000 shirts with this logo, and he became very interested in the origins of Xband Rough.I try to be pretty meticulous about fonts when I'm making a parody image, so I spent a chunk of time researching when I made the You wouldn't reimplement an API graphic. At the time the only information I could find was about XBAND Rough, which I used, but even then I was curious about why such an iconic font had such a murky provenance, Higgins said.Higgins figured that XBAND Rough had something to do with XBAND, which is an early gaming modem for the Sega Genesis and Super NES that was sold at Blockbuster in the mid 90s. The font used on the XBAND modem itself has a somewhat similar vibe to FF Confidential. I was able to dig up some metadata that tied the font to the XBand service and peripheral, including (ironically, now) some copyright information on different font websites, Higgins said. XBand the service was a little before my time, but I dug into it then and even found this wild promo video, which seemed 90s in sort of precisely the same way as the font, so it all made enough sense.For years I'd chuckled at the thought that XBand's greatest legacy was secretly typographic, and I've had to re-evaluate that as I've learned about FF Confidential, he added.Anyways, if you know more about who pirated XBand Rough, and whether it has anything to do with the XBAND Modem, please reach out.Do you know anything else about XBAND Rough? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me securely on Signal at jason.404. Otherwise, send me an email at jason@404media.co.

Nature, Published online: 30 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08946-8Warming temperatures and interactions between plants are the main drivers of changes in Arctic plant communities in response to climate change, and there is no evidence of overall biotic homogenization.

Nature, Published online: 30 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08930-2In response to phage infection, the Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain protein ThsB of the type II Thoeris defence system produces histidine conjugated to ADP-ribose, which stimulates bacterial defence by interacting with the Macro domain of the ThsA membrane effector protein.

Man United are a "work in progress" under Amorim. What should he do to reshape the first-team squad?

Through half of the 2025 season we've seen Rory McIlroy dominate, Justin Thomas get back in the winner's circle and Scottie Scheffler start a bit slower than expected.

Sundar Pichai told a federal judge that the governments solution to fix its monopoly in search would harm innovation.

Miriam Haley is the first to testify of the three women whose accusations are at the center of the disgraced producers retrial on sex abuse charges.

The post Elon Musk Creates Federal Employee Revenge Porn Database appeared first on The Onion.

ITHACA, NYIn an effort to help Americans get a better nights rest, sleep experts from Cornell University issued a recommendation Wednesday to cut back on Gods light before bed. The Lords divine grace can put the body into a state of religious excitement, so we typically suggest avoiding His holy light for two hours before your regular bedtime, said sleep researcher Edna Hardy, who added that the disruption of circadian rhythms caused by basking in the abundant glory of the Lord while in bed could lead to depression and cardiovascular problems down the line. Personally, I never pray after 8 p.m. The brilliant light of God shining down upon you can confuse your body into thinking its time to make a pilgrimage in service of the Almighty when it should be winding down for rest. Ideally, you should keep any Bibles or crucifixes out of your bedroom entirely so your mind only associates that space with sleep and sex and not the everlasting salvation of eternal life through Christ. Hardy added that people struggling to avoid Gods light close to bedtime could purchase special glasses designed to block it by selling their soul to the devil.The post Sleep Experts Suggest Cutting Back On Gods Light Before Bed appeared first on The Onion.

The pattern screams happiness.READ MORE...

A Visa logo is displayed on a credit card in New Orleans, Aug. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)2025-04-30T18:08:11Z Artificial intelligence agents are supposed to be more than chatbots. The tech industry has spent months pitching AI personal assistants that know what you want and can do real work on your behalf.So far, theyre not doing much. Visa hopes to change that by giving them your credit card. Set a budget and some preferences and these AI agents successors to ChatGPT and its chatbot peers could find and buy you a sweater, weekly groceries or an airplane ticket.We think this could be really important, said Jack Forestell, Visas chief product and strategy officer, in an interview. Transformational, on the order of magnitude of the advent of e-commerce itself.Visa announced Wednesday it is partnering with a group of leading AI chatbot developers among them U.S. companies Anthropic, Microsoft, OpenAI and Perplexity, and Frances Mistral to connect their AI systems to Visas payments network. Visa is also working with IBM, online payment company Stripe and phone-maker Samsung on the initiative. Pilot projects begin Wednesday, ahead of more widespread usage expected next year. The San Francisco payment processing company is betting that what seems futuristic now could become a convenient alternative to our most mundane shopping tasks in the near future. It has spent the past six months working with AI developers to address technical obstacles that must be overcome before the average consumer is going to use it. For emerging AI companies, Visas backing could also boost their chances of competing with tech giants Amazon and Google, which dominate digital commerce and are developing their own AI agents. The tech industry is already full of demonstrations of the capabilities of what it calls agentic AI, though few are yet found in the real world. Most are still refashioned versions of large language models the generative AI technology behind chatbots that can write emails, summarize documents or help people code. Trained on huge troves of data, they can scour the internet and bring back recommendations for things to buy, but they have a harder time going beyond that. The early incarnations of agent-based commerce are starting to do a really good job on the shopping and discovery dimension of the problem, but they are having tremendous trouble on payments, Forestell said. You get to this point where the agents literally just turn it back around and say, OK, you go buy it.Visa sees itself as having a key role in giving AI agents easier and trusted access to the cash they need to make purchases. The payments problem is not something the AI platforms can solve by themselves, Forestell said. Thats why we started working with them.The new AI initiative comes nearly a year after Visa revealed major changes to how credit and debit cards will operate in the U.S., making physical cards and their 16-digit numbers increasingly irrelevant.Many consumers are already getting used to digital payment systems such as Apply Pay that turn their phones into a credit card. A similar process of vetting someones digital credentials would authorize AI agents to work on a customers behalf, in a way Forestell says must assure buyers, banks and merchants that the transactions are legitimate and that Visa will handle disputes. Forestell said that doesnt mean AI agents will take over the entire shopping experience, but it might be useful for errands that either bore some people like groceries, home improvement items or even Christmas lists or are too complicated, like travel bookings. In those situations, some people might want an agent that just powers through it and automatically goes and does stuff for us, Forestell said.Other shopping experiences, such as for luxury goods, are a form of entertainment and many customers still want to immerse themselves in the choices and comparisons, Forestell said. In that case, he envisions AI agents still offering assistance but staying in the background. And what about credit card debt? The credit card balances of American consumers hit $1.21 trillion at the end of last year, according to the Federal Reserve of New York. Forestell says consumers will give their AI agents clear spending limits and conditions that should give them confidence that the human is still in control. At first, the AI agents are likely to come back to buyers to make sure they are OK with a specific airplane ticket. Over time, those agents might get more autonomy to go spend up to $1,500 on any airline to get me from A to B, he said.Part of what is attracting some AI developers to the Visa partnership is that, with a customers consent, an AI agent can also tap into a lot of data about past credit card purchases.Visa has the ability for a user to consent to share streams of their transaction history with us, said Dmitry Shevelenko, Perplexitys chief business officer. When we generate a recommendation -- say youre asking, What are the best laptops? we would know what are other transactions youve made and the revealed preferences from that. Perplexitys chatbot can already book hotels and make other purchases, but its still in the early stages of AI commerce, Shevelenko says. The San Francisco startup has also, along with ChatGPT maker OpenAI, told a federal court it would consider buying Googles internet browser, Chrome, if the U.S. forces a breakup of the tech giant in a pending antitrust case. MATT OBRIEN OBrien covers the business of technology and artificial intelligence for The Associated Press. mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Supporters of charter schools rally outside of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)2025-04-30T11:09:27Z WASHINGTON (AP) Chief Justice John Roberts appears to hold the key vote over whether the Supreme Court will allow the nations first publicly funded religious charter school in Oklahoma.Roberts was the only justice whose vote seemed in doubt after the court heard more than two hours of arguments Wednesday in a major culture-war clash involving the separation of church and state.The court seemed otherwise deeply divided.Four other conservative justices seemed firmly on the side of the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School and the state charter school board that approved it.Theyre not asking for special treatment, not asking for favoritism, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said. Theyre just saying, Dont treat us worse because were religious.The three liberal justices seemed just as likely to vote to affirm an Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling that held that the taxpayer-funded school would entangle church and state in violation of the First Amendment. Charter schools are in every respect equivalent to regular public schools, Justice Elena Kagan said.Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself without explanation. Barrett previously taught law at Notre Dame and is close friends with Notre Dame law professor Nicole Garnett, a leading proponent of publicly funded religious charter schools. If Roberts sides with the liberals, the court would be tied 4-4, an outcome that would leave the state court decision in place, but would leave the issue unresolved nationally. If he joins his conservative colleagues, on the other hand, the court could find that the taxpayer-funded school is in line with a string of high court decisions that have allowed public funds to flow to religious entities. Those rulings were based on a different part of the First Amendment that protects religious freedom.Roberts wrote the last three of those decisions. He acknowledged at one point that the court had previously ruled that states couldnt exclude religious participants, suggesting support for St. Isidore. But he also said the states involvement in this case is much more comprehensive than in the earlier ones, a point that could lead him in the other direction.St. Isidore, a K-12 online school, had planned to start classes for its first 200 enrollees last fall, with part of its mission to evangelize its students in the Catholic faith.Opponents warn a decision to allow the school to open would sap money from public schools and possibly upend the rules governing charter schools in almost every state.Greg Garre, the lawyer defending the Oklahoma decision, repeatedly urged the justices to consider the broad impact of a ruling for the school.This is going to have a dramatic effect on charter schools across the country, Garre said.Representing the state charter school board, lawyer James Campbell said Oklahomas charter school law discriminates against religion by encouraging diversity, but deeming religion to be the wrong kind of diversity.The case comes to the court amid efforts, mainly in conservative-led states, to insert religion into public schools. Those include a challenged Louisiana requirement that the Ten Commandments be posted in classrooms and a mandate from Oklahomas state schools superintendent that the Bible be placed in public school classrooms. St. Isidore, a K-12 online school, had planned to start classes for its first 200 enrollees last fall, with part of its mission to evangelize its students in the Catholic faith. Opponents warn a decision to allow the school to open would sap money from public schools and possibly upend the rules governing charter schools in almost every state.The state board and the school are backed by an array of Republican-led states and religious and conservative groups, though the case has divided some of Oklahomas Republican leaders.Gov. Kevin Stitt and Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters support using public funds for religious schools, while Attorney General Gentner Drummond has opposed the idea and sued to overturn the state boards approval of St. Isidore. A key issue in the case is whether the school is public or private. Charter schools are deemed public in Oklahoma and the other 45 states and the District of Columbia where they operate. North Dakota recently enacted legislation allowing for charter schools.They are free and open to all, receive state funding, abide by antidiscrimination laws and submit to oversight of curriculum and testing. But they also are run by independent boards that are not part of local public school systems.Just under 4 million American schoolchildren, about 8%, are enrolled in charter schools.

As Cardinals convene at the Vatican to pick a new pope, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has floated a candidate that has the internet mocking him: President Donald Trump.This week, Trump spoke with reporters outside the White House and joked that he should be the next person to wear the papal hat. Id like to be pope, he said. That would be my number one choice.While most of social media roasted him for his comments, it sparked adoration from his MAGA base, including on-and-off Trump supporter Graham, who called the president a dark horse candidate. (@) I was excited to hear that President Trump is open to the idea of being the next Pope, Graham captioned his post on X on Tuesday that included the clip of Trump. This would truly be a dark horse candidate, but I would ask the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to keep an open mind about this possibility!Graham added, The first Pope-U.S. President combination has many upsides. Watching for white smoke. Trump MMXXVIII! (@) The pope has to be a baptized Catholic man, and all modern popes have been chosen from the College of Cardinals, which means that, despite Grahams desire to see Trump sitting in the Papal chair, the president wouldnt qualify since he has called himself a non-denominational Christian, The Independent reports.While Graham clearly thinks Trump would make a great leader of the Catholic Church, other politicians think its an outrageous assertion. Republican Meghan McCain told Graham to get a grip on X (formerly Twitter), and Democratic National Committee vice chair Malcolm Kenyatta called out Graham for being a bootlicker. Can we send a rescue party? Ive never seen a person so far up someones ass, he posted. (@) (@) But it was everyday Americans on social media who made the most hilarious jokes at Trumps expense. Someone joking that Graham was attempting to score a spot as an altar boy and another person quipping "what does this man have on you? will have you cackling. Keep scrolling to see the funniest reactions to Graham sucking up to Trump! (@) "BREAKING: Lindsey Graham open to idea of Trump becoming Pope, also open to idea of Lindsey Graham becoming altar boy" (@) "See it was kinda funny when Trump said "I should be the next Pope" but Lindsey Graham slobbering all over Trump's knob ruined the joke completely..." (@) "He's not even Catholic!" (@) "Lindsey Graham, then and now. Exhibit A in what Trump did to the Republican Party." (@) "I think its time for another flood" (@) "Is it possible to bankrupt a church!?" (@) "Today, Trump said his number one choice is to be the next Pope. This is the guy who couldnt name a single Bible verse." (@) "JD Vance receives his medal for a successful mission at the Vatican. Trump will apply to be the new Pope tomorrow." (@) "Trump at the Popes funeral: 'A lot of people are saying I would've been a better pope - frankly, the best.' (@) "@LindseyGrahamSC is excited to hear that Trump is open to the idea of being the next Pope. Does Graham have a brainworm? Seriously WTAF" (@) "This is not, I repeat not, how I massage Trump's prostate. This is." (@) "Its gonna be orange smoke and its gonna come from the outhouse." (@) "Lindsey Graham has said some weird shit and kissed Trump's arse repeatedly throughout this nightmare decade, but this Pope tweet WTAF?!? Lindsey done lost what was left of his damn mind!!!" (@) "BREAKING: The Vatican now taking applications via Truth Social. Pope MAGA the First is expected to pass a new commandment: Thou shalt grovel and tithe $500K for Mar-a-Lago miracles. Lindsey Graham seen auditioning for Holy Waterboy. God help us all." (@) "Seriously, Linds, what does this man have on you? First you hated him & the thought of him being the president made you sick. Now you are pimping out his Pope fantasy?!" (@) "Lindsey Graham thinks Donald Trump would make a good pope." (@) "Yes, this a real post on Lindsey Graham's timeline. Remember when people freaked at the thought of JFK becoming president because he was Catholic and they thought he'd beholden to the pope? Now these idiots actually want Trump to be pope. Unbelievable." (@) "I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that Catholic cardinals are not going to elect a twice-divorced, non-Catholic as Pope. In related news, Lindsey Graham is not a serious person."

Nature, Published online: 30 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08888-1Multimodal results (iEEG, fMRI and MEG) of predictions from integrated information theory and global neuronal workspace theory align with some predictions of both theories on visual consciousness, but also critically challenge key tenets of both theories.

Nature, Published online: 30 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08937-9Experiments in mouse models show that proper recovery of the intestinal microbiota following depletion, with or without faecal microbiota transplant therapy, is dependent on syntrophic interactions that occur only with specific dietary interventions.

Only one young player is untouchable as the Rockets enter an offseason with lucrative draft capital and a promising future.

Wrexham is keeping the party going after sealing a third-straight promotion by throwing a ticket-only end-of-year awards ceremony for fans.

A sunken calfs disappearance created a mystery in murky waters near San Diego.

The storm system brought destructive winds to the state, knocking down trees and power lines.

A blackout brought much of Spain and Portugal to a standstill, halting subway and railway trains, cutting phone service, and shutting down traffic lights and ATMs for millions of people across the Iberian Peninsula. What do you think?This could seriously impede their 15-hour workweek.Ron Hoffmann, Systems AnalystIt breaks my heart to think of all those poor families forced to play Monopoly right now.Jim Lizaola, Engine TinkererOh, thats why the king of Spain wasnt answering my texts.Grace Romain, UnemployedThe post Major Power Outage Knocks Out Electricity For Spain, Portugal appeared first on The Onion.

Neutrals sometimes get a bad reputation for being too safe or too blah. But in interiors, that lack of edge can actually be a good thing.READ MORE...

The seal of the State Department is seen at the Washington Passport Agency, July 12, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)2025-04-30T19:00:11Z WASHINGTON (AP) Kuwait has released an additional 10 American detainees, bringing to nearly two dozen the total number freed by the country in the past two months, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday.Taken together, Kuwaits pardons of 23 Americans since March done as a goodwill gesture by the U.S. ally amounted to the largest release of U.S. citizens by a single foreign country in years.The prisoners include military contractors and veterans held on drug charges and other offenses by the small, oil-rich nation. One detainee was said by supporters to have been coerced into signing a false confession and endured physical violence and threats against his wife and daughter.Ten others were released on March 12, weeks after a visit to Kuwait by Adam Boehler, who is serving as the Trump administrations envoy for hostage affairs. We flew out, we sat down with the Kuwaitis, and they said, listen, no ones ever asked before at this level for the release of the Americans, Boehler told the AP. The releases were not done as part of a swap and the U.S. was not asked to give up anything in return. Theyve been extremely responsive, and their view is the United States is a huge ally. They know its a priority for (President Donald Trump) to bring Americans home, Boehler said. I credit it to the Kuwaiti understanding that weve stood up for them historically and they know that these things are important for the president. The Americans maintain their innocence, and its important to note none of these cases had an identified victim, and all of them were built on supposed confessions taken in Arabic without translation, according to a statement from Jonathan Franks, a private consultant working on cases involving American hostages and detainees who represented nine of the 10 people released Wednesday. He spent weeks in the country trying to negotiate the releases. Kuwait is considered a major non-NATO ally of the U.S. The U.S. and Kuwait have had a close military partnership since America launched the 1991 Gulf War to expel Iraqi troops after Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, with some 13,500 American troops stationed in Kuwait at Camp Arifjan and Ali al-Salem Air Base.But Kuwait also has detained many American military contractors on drug charges, in some cases for years. Their families have alleged that their loved ones faced abuse while imprisoned in a country that bans alcohol and has strict laws regarding drugs.Others have criticized Kuwaiti police for bringing trumped-up charges and manufacturing evidence used against them allegations never acknowledged by the autocratic nation ruled by a hereditary emir.Among those freed Wednesday was Tony Holden, an HVAC technician. He was working as a defense contractor in support of Camp Arifjan at the time of his November 2022 arrest, when his family and supporters allege he was set up by corrupt Kuwaiti police looking to earn bonuses. His supporters say his wife and daughter were physically threatened, that he was coerced into signing a written confession in Arabic and was charged with drug possession despite testing negative in a drug test and abstaining for religious reasons from drug and alcohol use. Tony was an innocent man when he was arrested, and he remains an innocent man today, says a website that was established to support him and advocate for his release.Added Secretary of State Marco Rubio: We celebrate his release and return to the United States.A minor is also being released in the coming days but is expected to remain in Kuwait. ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department. twitter mailto

Pride season officially kicks off in a monthbut this years celebrations are already looking very different from what weve grown accustomed to. At many Pride celebrationsincluding those in New York City, San Francisco, and St. Louiscorporate sponsors, once ubiquitous, have begun pulling their support.In response to conservative backlash against DEI efforts and rising hostility toward queer and trans people, companies have been walking back their efforts and support of the LGBTQ+ community.A recent Gravity Research survey polled 49 senior executives at Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies. The results show a significant shift in outward support for the LGBTQ+ community. 39% of respondents said they would be scaling back their Pride Month engagement, due to several factors including pressure from the Trump Administration (61%) and threats from conservative activists (39%).The most visible shift is reduced presence at Pride eventsespecially among B2C companies and those reliant on federal funding, like healthcare organizations.For those who are still participating or have maintained their support for the LGBTQ+ community, a majority (65%) were preparing for potential backlash.Which companies are pulling back?Several longtime Pride sponsors have withdrawn support this year, leaving Pride organizations without crucial support.Anheuser-Busch, which faced boycotts and backlash for featuring trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney on a can of Bud Light in a 2023 Instagram video, pulled support this year after being a sponsor for three decades, from St. Louis Pride. The decision left Pride St. Louis, the nonprofit organizers of the event, with a $150,000 budget deficit. In a press release, Marty Zuniga, President of Pride St. Louis addressed the issues and the need to turn to the St. Louis community for additional funds.While we are deeply disappointed that Anheuser-Busch has chosen to step away from supporting PrideFest this year, we remain hopeful that the community will step up where they have stepped down, said ZunigaAnheuser-Busch, along with alcohol company Diageo (known for brands like Guinness and Smirnoff), also pulled support from San Francisco Pride. San Francisco Pride, which attracts around a million people each year, has also lost support from Meta, Amazon, Google, Apple, Bay Area Reporter reports.Due to dwindling corporate support Seattle Pride is facing a $350,000 budget shortfall and has turned to the community to raise the funds. In their funding plea, Seattle Pride explains that losing this financial support comes at a challenging time for the entire community.This comes at a time when attacks on our communities are escalating, and queer and trans people are being increasingly erased from public life and safe spaces, said the fundraiser post.Even the countrys largest Pride event, New York Pride, has experienced pullbacks in support from longtime corporate sponsors. Mastercard, Nissan, PepsiCo and Citi will not sponsor this years event, AdWeek reports.WorldPride setbacksWorldPride, the biannual global Pride celebration, is set to begin its nearly month long celebration on May 17 in Washington D.C. Held in 2023 in Sydney, Australia, the massive event travels around the world every two years. Its a highly visible opportunity for host cities to demonstrate commitment to queer and trans rights.However, this years event has been plagued with challenges from the loss of corporate sponsors like tech company Booz Allen Hamilton, security concerns and the cancellation of WorldPride connected events happening at the Kennedy Center.For a celebration meant to spotlight global solidarity, the pullbacks have raised tough questions about whether institutions can be relied upon when it matters mostand how LGBTQ+ communities will continue to adapt, resist, and show up.Pride without corporate supportThis year marks 55 years since the first Pride march, which was held a year after the Stonewall Rebellion in New York City. For many years, Pride was a political event and for many attendees, an act of defiance and bravery. In the 80s and 90s, corporations began realizing the spending power of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as turning tides in LGBTQ+ acceptance in the country. Currently, the LGBTQ+ community represents about 1.4 trillion in annual buying power.Companies like Absolut, Subaru and Ikea were among the first to support Pride events and target queer audiences. However, with the introduction of Pride Month in 1999, more and more companies started lending financial support to Pride events, turning what was once a protest into a glossy, technicolor event with corporate emblazoned floats and swag giveaways.This shift gave rise to the term, Rainbow Washing, which refers to when companies or organizations use LGBTQ+ imagerysuch as rainbow logos or Pride-themed merchandisewithout meaningful or consistent support for the LGBTQ+ community. It often involves marketing during Pride Month without year-round policies, actions or advocacy that reflect genuine allyship.Prides around the country have grown dependent on funds from companies to create the types of events we as a community have grown used to, including top tier entertainment and events. Without corporate backing, Pride may return to its rootsa concept thats been gaining traction in recent years.Pride has evolved many times over the last five decades, as has support for the LGBTQ+ community. It will survive one way or another. The question is, how do we as a community respond if corporations come back when times are less fraught?What are your thoughts on this question? Let us know at newsisout@localmedia.org.The post Pride without partners: 2025 celebrations hit by funding cuts appeared first on News Is Out.

Airyn De Niro: model, voice actress, future counselor, andThems newest cover star!Daughter of legendary actor Robert De Niro and model and actressToukie Smith, Airyn sat down with Them reporter Ava Pauline Emilionefor her first-ever interview since starting her gender transition. She spoke about how for much of her life, her parents tried to keep her [...]The post Airyn De Niro Talks with Them for First-Ever Interview on Her Transition, Celebrity Parents, and Being the Next It Girl first appeared on GLAAD.

Hulus documentary special Unleashing Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Children With Autism with puts the spotlight on a special program by Guide Dogs of Americas (GDA) through the lens of many families and their children on the autism spectrum one of them being Rosie ODonnell and her child Clay. Co-directed by Zeberiah [...]The post Unleashing Hope Filmmakers Talk Working on Autism Documentary with Rosie ODonnell first appeared on GLAAD.

StanChris has now shared a few life updates and relationship status on social media.Chris Stanley has broken his silence with a series of videos, photos, and life updates addressing his recent breakup with Survivor star Bret LaBelle a notable reality TV star who has competed on Survivor and The Amazing Race.Otherwise known as StanChris, the OnlyFans creator and TikTok star posted a series of videos, photos, and life updates in response to his relationship with LaBelle coming to an end. Stanley also shared his side of the story, and teased what fans can expect from him now that he's single.Below, a comprehensive breakdown of the posts, content, and responses shared by Chris Stanley a.k.a. StanChris following his breakup with Bret LaBelle.Chris Stanley clarified the timeline of his breakup with Bret LaBelle.According to Stanley, he and LaBelle broke up "a few months ago" an interesting, different timeline of events in constrast to LaBelle's breakup post shared Monday, April 28.The 51-year-old star of Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X wrote:"Sometimes love means letting go. Chris and I have shared so many memories, laughter, and growth together, and I will always be grateful for that. While our paths are now going in different directions, the care and respect remain. Wishing him nothing but happiness, love, and success on his journey. Thank you for the memories."In a new video, the 25-year-old known as StanChris revealed the following statement about the breakup:"Bret and I did break up a few months ago. And, you know, I took some time off, I took a few months to reflect on everything, decompress, think about what I wanna do next, and here I am finally making this video."StanChris revealed why he and Bret LaBelle broke up.Speaking directly to the camera, Chris Stanley acknowledged that fans are likely curious about what led to his breakup with Bret LaBelle."I'm not really here to spill tea, point fingers, or talk about some drama or some scandal Because nothing really happened," StanChris explained. "We're still on good terms. And maybe, eventually, when [the breakup] isn't still kind of fresh, I can talk about our relationship a little bit more. You guys only saw like what was on social media. Obviously, there's more to it than that."Nonetheless, Stanley added that the couple "kind of just grew apart slowly," adding:"We were together for like 4 years. Sometimes it just doesn't work out, and that's OK. I love all the memories that I have with Bret. I love all the time we spent together. I don't regret it at all. I'm really grateful for the time we did spend together. And I wish him nothing but the best, really."Bret LaBelle shared a heartbreaking perspective with Chris Stanley about their 27-year age gap.StanChris recalled one particular thing Brett LaBelle told him as they broke up. To make sure he didn't forget it, Stanley wrote it down on his phone.Stanley explained, "There was one thing he said to me a few days after we had broken up, a few months ago, and I wrote it down in my notes. He said, 'It sucks [that] it took me 47 years to find a relationship this good. And, for you, it's your first. I'm gonna miss you, man.'""And, you know, it does suck," the 25-year-old remarked.Chris Stanley is now living in Florida by himself.Chris Stanley also updated fans on his current home."I live in Florida now," the social media influencer said. "I bought an apartment here last year that I never talked about. So maybe, in my next video, I can give you guys a little tour. On another note, it's my first time living alone And I kind of love it; I'm not gonna lie."However, StanChris doesn't want a new boyfriend for the time being."As for me, personally, I'm not really looking for a relationship right now. I want to spend some more time just being single," Chris Stanley explained. "But, hey, you never know! Maybe I'll meet a guy, and then things just kind of happen."StanChris also pointed out that he recently turned 25 years old and called this moment in his life as a "quarter life crisis."Chris Stanley also discussed his 'twink death' and compared himself to Troye Sivan."Some people were saying that my twink death is officially here because I'm 25," the TikTok and OnlyFans star said. "So I actually went to the gym this morning. You know, that's why I had to wear this tank top."He added, "I kind of killed my twink, but also, I still can go twink mode sometimes. I mean, how old is Troye Sivan? And he's still the twink crown. If he can do it, so can I."Even more content from StanChris is coming to YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and OnlyFans.Ever since Bret LaBelle announced their break with an Instagram post, StanChris has been actively sharing new photos, videos, and post across social networks."I had 3 months to think of video ideas," Stanley explained. "So I do have a lot of interesting video ideas. And, you know, specifically some [ideas] that I can do now that I'm single."Chris Stanley is on Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter, and OnlyFans, to name a few. Fans can watch his full YouTube video detailing his breakup with LaBelle below.

Lorde has unveiled the title and release date of her highly anticipated fourth studio album, Virgin, scheduled for release on June 27, 2025. The announcement marks her first full-length project since 2021s Solar Power. In a newsletter to fans, Lorde described Virgin as 100% written in blood, emphasizing its raw and emotionally transparent nature. She further elaborated on the albums themesSource

Nature, Published online: 30 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08841-2An aromatic metallo-annulene, comprising a 15-carbon macrocycle enclosing an osmium complex, with the metal residing within the plane of the macrocycle is reported.

Nature, Published online: 30 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01356-wIf scaled up, a method for extracting nickel without using carbon-rich coke could reduce emissions considerably.

Enjoy Wednesday's UEFA Champions League semifinal action as Barcelona take on Internazionale at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona.

Jets quarterback Jordan Travis announced his retirement after a devastating leg injury suffered in 2023 while at Florida State "never responded" to treatment.

During the first 100 days of the Trump administration, shock waves from the chaotic tariff rollout continue to send tremors through the global financial system.

The justices have allowed vouchers for religious schools and required equal treatment in tuition programs. But direct government payments to religious public schools pose a new test.

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Retired soccer star Ashlyn Harris is opening up about motherhood and her relationship with actress Sophia Bush in a new candid interview.On this weeks episode of the Second Wind podcast, the 39-year-old Olympic goalkeeper talked about everything from the drug addiction she recently went public with to the love she shares with her famous girlfriend to her feelings around gender.Harris told hosts Marion Jones, a five-time Olympic champion and track and field legend and bestselling author Suzanne Evans, that her controversial relationship with Bush many people speculated that the two had an affair while they were still married to other people is the stuff fairytales are made of.What I love so much about her is she makes me feel the way I only thought we read about in books, Harris said. She holds up a mirror and makes me feel like I'm the best human, I'm the best mother, and it's exactly what I needed and what I need to heal so much pain and trauma and grief in my life.She also said that Bush is helping her accept that she is a good mom and not second-guess herself so much.I made a promise that my kids wouldn't feel the same kind of pain that I did as a kid, and I put a lot of pressure on myself, and she's just like, You are the best mom. I just have never seen someone move and act the way you do. And it's this type of reassurance that she came into my life when I was an open wound, and she's so selfless and such a beautiful person that even in the hardest season of her life, she wants to help me heal, which is something I'll never forget, Harris explained.One of the most powerful aspects of the couples relationship is that Harris never feels judged for her flaws because Bush doesnt see her pain and scars as an issue, but instead as her superpower.She sees it as a superpower, and she's showing and teaching me every day to use it in such a way that heals and helps other people, that I have an incredible gift to be not only a parent, but the way I show up for people, Harris said. Shes just made my life so much richer. I don't even know how to express it or articulate it.Bush has become her soft place to fall, and she doesnt feel the need to always be strong around her, admitting, I can just unravel in moments and know that she's going to catch me.When it comes to gender expression, Harris told the podcasters that she doesnt buy into that man woman role model and thinks of herself as being pretty gender neutral.I mean, I'm a pretty gender neutral person, she said. I have a lot of me is very masculine, and there are parts of me that are very soft and sensitive. I honestly don't overthink it. I think that is more of a product of what society tells us that things have to be this way, and there needs to be more masculine energy or this or that. I don't really buy into all that crap.Early in the interview, Harris also got candid about her past struggle with drugs while she was in college, something that she opened up about in early April.Harris admitted that trying to pay her way through college, the pressure of being at the top of her game, and prescription for Adderall led to her spiral into drug abuse.I was a part of the youth national team system since I was 13, so I was getting drug tested, this was a way for me to cheat the system, she said candidly. This was prescribed to me. I don't have an addiction. Oh, this is not me using cocaine. Well, it sure f*cking felt like it. So it's just this process of unfiltered, unexpressed grief and pain I didn't know how to deal with.

Laverne Cox is opening up about the emotional impact of Clean Slates cancellation, calling the end of the series gutting and a devastating lossnot just for her as an actor, but for the fans who embraced the show. In a candid moment with Gayety at the opening of The Tryst Hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Cox reflected on how she first felt upon hearing the news that Clean SlateSource

Youve never seen Greg from The White Lotus like this. Jon Gries, best known for his role as the scheming Greg Hunt (aka Gary) in HBOs The White Lotus, is turning heads in a way fans didnt see coming. At 67, the veteran actor has stripped down literally for a vibrant and cheeky new fashion campaign by Jacquemus, and lets just say hes giving daddy in a way that even Tanya McQuoidSource

Nature, Published online: 30 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01273-yLithium that pooled in a volcanic caldera in the western United States had no way out, thanks to a lack of rivers.

Nature, Published online: 30 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01381-9In the face of massive upheaval, what is the long-term outlook for science in the US and beyond?

A group of Syracuse-area high schoolers could face charges of kidnapping if they don't turn themselves in to authorities over a lacrosse team hazing prank.

North Carolina coach Bill Belichick issued a statement defending girlfriend Jordon Hudson from the "false narrative" that she was trying to control his interview with CBS.

Internal documents and interviews with people familiar with the operation reveal how the White House seized on a wartime law to accelerate immigrant deportations.

New details deepen questions about the deportations, showing that El Salvadors president pressed for assurances that the migrants were really members of the Tren de Aragua gang.

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Actor Paapa Essiedu may be set to star as Severus Snape in the upcoming Harry Potter television series, but that doesnt mean he sides with JK Rowling when it comes to her anti-trans views. The 34-year-old British actor is one of 400 TV and film professionals who have signed an open letter expressing their solidarity with the trans community in the wake of the UK Supreme Courts April 17 ruling that defined women based on biological sex, excluding trans women. The ruling, which is predicted to have broad-reaching implications for the trans and non-binary community and was financially backed by Rowling, undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary and intersex people living in the UK, the open letter reads.Essiedu isnt the only star of the Harry Potter franchise to sign the letter. Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne and Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang in the original Harry Potter films, have both spoken out against Rowling in the past and signed the letter. The letter was developed by development producer Sid Strickland of Motive Pictures and script editor Jack Casey after the ruling came out and it became clear that it would exclude trans people from single-sex facilities, including industry sets and movie theaters, Deadline reports. The UK film and television industry is at the forefront of cultural change. In recent years, we have come together in response to the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements, to reflect upon our working practices and uplift a broad spectrum of voices in our society, the letter said. We must now urgently work to ensure that our trans, non-binary and intersex colleagues, collaborators and audiences are protected from discrimination and harassment in all areas of the industry, whether on set, in a production office or at a cinema.Essiedu signed his name to the letter despite starring in HBOs upcoming TV adaptation of Rowlings Harry Potter series, and Rowlings financial support of the anti-trans policy and her celebrity social media posts once the Supreme Court ruled in her favor. The letter was also signed by nonbinary The Last of Us Star Bella Ramsey and Bridgerton actress Nicola Coughlan, who recently raised 120,000 for the trans rights charity Not a Phase, and Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne, who has spoken out against Rowlings anti-trans views in the past.And even more Harry Potter stars signed their names, too. Trevor White, who played Harry Potter in the Canadian premiere of the stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child signed alongside Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince actress Bessie Carter (who is also Professor Umbridge actress Imelda Stauntons daughter), younger Lily Potter actress Amy Forest, Harry Potter series actress Ayoola Smart, and Eleanor Matsuura, who appeared in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 as a character named "Yaxleys Henchwoman" were also signatories.

Nature, Published online: 30 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01301-xThe spatio-temporal evolution of inflammatory bowel disease across the world follows four epidemiological stages: emergence, acceleration in incidence, compounding prevalence and prevalence equilibrium. Classifying regions by epidemiological stage enables health-care systems to prepare for the evolving global burden.

Nature, Published online: 30 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08935-xTotal cell cycle duration is a key hallmark of cancer initiation, and determines whether defects in apoptosis, senescence, immune surveillance, angiogenesis, DNA repair, polarity and proliferation lead to cancer development.

Ruben Amorim has said that not even winning the Europa League will save Manchester United's season.

The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) on Tuesday handed a six-year ban to an unnamed Liga MX Femenil player from Mazatln FC after an investigation into match-fixing.