Here's the updated college softball Top 25 poll for Week 8, plus series and players to watch.

Some losses are understandable; others will haunt us forever. Let's rank the 2025 men's NCAA tournament defeats, from least to most devastating.

Former Patriots coach Bill Parcells will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame as a contributor, team owner Robert Kraft announced Tuesday.

Colorado star Travis Hunter could be an option for the Giants with the third overall pick in the draft as both a wide receiver and cornerback, coach Brian Daboll said.

Wall Street sign is seen outside the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, March. 21, 2024. Reddit shares will begin trading Thursday. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)2025-04-01T05:07:37Z NEW YORK (AP) U.S. stocks are swerving through another shaky day of trading Tuesday, with uncertainty still high about just what President Donald Trump will announce about tariffs on his Liberation Day coming Wednesday.The S&P 500 was up by 0.6% in midday trading after storming back from an early drop of 1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 135 points, or 0.3%, as of 12:18 p.m. Eastern time, after eliminating a morning loss of 480 points. The Nasdaq composite was 1.1% higher. Wall Street has been particularly shaky recently, and momentum has been swinging not just day to day but also hour to hour because of uncertainty about what Trump will do with tariffs and by how much they will worsen inflation and grind down growth for economies. On Monday, for example, the S&P 500 careened from an early loss of 1.7% to a gain of 0.6%. Tesla helped drive Tuesdays rise after climbing 6.9%. That, though, clawed back just a small portion of the electric-vehicle makers steep losses this year, and its still down by nearly a third for 2025 so far.Elon Musks company is expected to report on Wednesday how many vehicles it delivered during the first three months of the year, and worries have grown about a potential backlash from customers. Protestors have been swarming Tesla showrooms due to anger about Musks leading the U.S. governments efforts to cut spending. PVH jumped 17.6% after the company behind the Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also said it plans to send $500 million to shareholders this year through purchases of its own stock. In the bond market, Treasury yields sank immediately after a report said U.S. manufacturing activity contracted last month, breaking a two-month streak of growth. A separate report said U.S. employers were advertising slightly fewer job openings at the end of February than economists expected. Companies are saying theyre already feeling effects from Trumps trade war, even with the main event potentially coming on Wednesday, when the president will announce a sweeping set of tariffs. Customers are pulling in orders due to anxiety about continued tariffs and pricing pressures, one computer and electronic products company told the Institute for Supply Management in its monthly manufacturers survey. Starting to see slower-than-normal sales in Canada, and concerns of Canadians boycotting U.S. products could become a reality, a manufacturer in the food, beverage and tobacco products industry said in the ISMs survey.The economy is still growing, to be sure, and the job market has remained relatively solid even with Februarys slightly weaker-than-expected job openings. But one of the fears hitting the market is that even if Trump announces less-punishing tariffs than feared, the stop-and-start rollout of his trade strategy may by itself cause U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending, which would damage the economy. Trump has pushed for tariffs in part to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States from other countries. All the nervousness in the market has helped push the price of gold to records, and it briefly topped $3,175 per ounce before turning slightly lower. Thats up from less than $2,700 at the start of the year.On Wall Street, Johnson & Johnson dropped 5.3% after a U.S. bankruptcy court judge denied the companys settlement plan related to baby powder containing talc. Its the third time the companys attempt to resolve the baby powder settlement through bankruptcy has been rejected by courts.Airline stocks continued their descent on worries that customers feeling nervous about the economy and global trade wont fly as much. Delta Air Lines lost 2.9%, and United Airlines gave up 1.6%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia to recover some of their sharp drops from the day before. In Europe, Germanys DAX returned 1.7%, and Frances CAC 40 rose 1.1% after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the worlds biggest trade bloc would not cower in the face of U.S. trade demands. Europe holds a lot of cards, from trade to technology to the size of our market. But this strength is also built on our readiness to take firm counter measures if necessary, von der Leyen said. All instruments are on the table. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 held steady as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was imploring Trump not to impose higher auto tariffs on Japan, a longtime U.S. ally. A central bank survey found a worsening in business sentiment among big manufacturers. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.17% from 4.23% late Monday and from roughly 4.80% in January. Thats a significant move for the bond market, and yields have been falling with worries about a potentially slowing U.S. economy.___AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. ___ This story has been corrected to show that PVH is buying back $500 million of its own stock, not $500 billion. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Mike Lamont, director for accelerators and technology, center left, and Fabiola Gianotti, center right, director general of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), speak with members of the U.S. House of Representatives in the Large Magnet Facility during a visit to CERN facilities in Meyrin, near Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, March 21, 2025. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)2025-04-01T06:49:23Z GENEVA (AP) Top minds at the worlds largest atom smasher have released a blueprint for a much bigger successor that could vastly improve research into the remaining enigmas of physics.The plans for the Future Circular Collider a nearly 91-kilometer (56.5-mile) loop along the French-Swiss border and below Lake Geneva published late Monday put the finishing details on a project roughly a decade in the making at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.The FCC would carry out high-precision experiments in the mid-2040s to study known physics in greater detail, then enter a second phase planned for 2070 that would conduct high-energy collisions of protons and heavy ions that would open the door to the unknown, said Giorgio Chiarelli, a research director at Italys National Institute of Nuclear Physics.History of physics tells that when there is more data, the human ingenuity is able to extract more information than originally expected, Chiarelli, who was not involved in the plans, said in an e-mail. For roughly a decade, top minds at CERN have been making plans for a successor to the Large Hadron Collider, a network of magnets that accelerate particles through a 27-kilometer (17-mile) underground tunnel and slam them together at velocities approaching the speed of light. The blueprint lays out the proposed path, environmental impact, scientific ambitions and project cost. Independent experts will take a look before CERNs two dozen member countries all European except for Israel decide in 2028 whether to go forward, starting in the mid-2040s at a cost of some 14 billion Swiss francs (about $16 billion). CERN officials tout the promise of scientific discoveries that could drive innovation in fields like cryogenics, superconducting magnets and vacuum technologies that could benefit humankind.Outside experts point to the promise of learning more about the Higgs boson, the elusive particle that has been controversially dubbed the God particle, which helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang. Work at the Large Hadron Collider confirmed in 2013 the existence of the Higgs boson, the central piece in a puzzle known as the standard model that helps explains some fundamental forces in the universe.CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti said the future collider could become the most extraordinary instrument ever built by humanity to study the constituents and the laws of nature at the most fundamental levels in two ways, by improving study of the Higgs boson and paving the way to explore the energy frontier, and by looking for new physics that explain the structure and evolution of the universe.One unknown is whether the Trump administration, which has been cutting foreign aid and spending in academia and research, will continue to support CERN a year after the Biden administration pledged U.S. support for the study and collaboration on the FCCs construction and physics exploitation if its approved.The United States is home to 2,000 users of CERN, making them the single largest national contingent among the 17,000 people working there, including outside experts abroad and staff on site, Gianotti said. While an observer state and not a member, the U.S. doesnt pay into the CERN regular budget but has contributed to specific projects. Most of the CERN regular budget comes from Europe.Costas Fountas, the CERN Council president, said he had spoken with some U.S. National Science Foundation and Department of Energy staff who relayed the message that so far theyre under the radar of the cuts of the Trump administration. Thats their words.CERN scientists, engineers and partners behind the plans considered at least 100 scenarios for the new collider before coming up with the proposed 91-kilometer circumference at an average depth of 200 meters (656 feet). The tunnel would be about 5 meters (16 feet) in diameter, CERN said. JAMEY KEATEN Keaten is the chief Associated Press reporter in Geneva. He previously was posted in Paris and has reported from Afghanistan, the Middle East, North Africa and across Europe. twitter RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Australia, a land of vast diversity and spectacular landscapes, offers up a unique blend of urban sophistication, historical charm, and natural wonders. From the bustling streets of Sydney and Melbourne to the tranquil beauty of Tasmania and Kangaroo Island, Australias rich history, distinctive culture, and extraordinary natural wonders make it a perfect travel destination. For []The post AUSTRALIA is for LGBTQ Travelers appeared first on GEDmagazine.

Thorgy Thor, as powered by artist Shane Thor Galligan (Thor G., get it?), is a whirlwind of talent and energy. A musical impresario since youth, she is a maven of the orchestra. She came to international drag acclaim for her appearance on RuPauls Drag Race 8th season and later on All Stars season 3. After []The post This Drag Queen Weighs in On Music, Drag, and The Kennedy Center appeared first on GEDmagazine.

The 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards was a magical night, in more ways the one. Hosted by the hilarious Michael Urie,the ceremony served as a beacon of hope in what has already been a historically difficult year for the LGBTQ community. The night included moving performances and inspiring speeches. With Doechii winning Outstanding Music Artist,Will [...]The post Cynthia Erivo Accepts the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at The 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards: Some flowers bloom against all odds, like the peonie. first appeared on GLAAD.

Its a new month, which means new opportunities for queer TV! GLAAD is bringing you some highlights from LGBTQ TV premieres and returns throughout March. Check back on the first of each month for up-to-date coverage of LGBTQ-inclusive programming on television. April 3 Jurassic World: Chaos Theory(Season Three Netflix) The Nublar Six are back [...]The post Must-See LGBTQ TV: April Premieres & Returns first appeared on GLAAD.

Country star Tanner Adell opened up about her sexuality on the red carpet of the Billboard Women in Music Awards.The celebration took place at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 29, and Adell presented Megan Moroney with the Rulebreaker Award on stage.Minutes before, Out caught up with the "Buckle Bunny" singer and asked about her relationship with the LGBTQ+ community. During our conversation, Adell confirms, "Yes, I'm pansexual."She has alluded to her sexuality in her music, and fans really began to take notice in "Strawberry Crush."Sign up for the PRIDE.com Newsletter to get a candid take on whats fresh and fun in LGBTQ+ culture this week!"It's funny when people ask me my sexual orientation, but I feel like you should be able to hear that in my music," she says. "There's more of that coming."And the community is certainly showing up for Adell! "When I have shows, the gays bring it," she gushes. "The gays bring it every time. There's so many assless chaps, and that's exactly what I dreamed of, you know?" See on Instagram Adell first went viral with her country dance single "Buckle Bunny." She was later featured in Beyonc's Grammy-winning version of "BLACKBIIRD," a cover of "Blackbird" by the Beatles, and appeared with Bey at the NFL's Christmas Day Halftime Show and the subsequent Beyonc Bowl Netflix special. She recently performed at the 36th GLAAD Media Awards. And she's just getting started! The singer just released her devastatingly gorgeous new country ballad, "Going Blonde," an emotional ode to her late mother. "My birth brother found me 3 years ago. I had wanted to meet my birth mother my whole life," she tells Out. "He informed me that she passed away about 5 years before I was able to find him. That was really, really hard for me. I only had pictures of her that he had showed me as an adult. She was so blonde, like bleached blonde hair. I was like, I'm going blonde."Fans can watch Tanner Adell's music video for Going Blonde below.

Sapphics know how to write and sing about sex!Baby, she's a giver!Chappell Roan's newest hit song, "The Giver," is heating up the Billboard Hot 100. It debuted at number five and earned Roan her first number-one song on the Hot Country Songs chart!It's not the first song explicitly about lesbian sex to hit the top 10, and it won't be the last. With artists like Janelle Mone, Victoria Mont, Kehlani, Rene Rapp, and Billie Eilish openly singing about lesbian relationships and sex, these songs are more popular now than ever. Through their powerful vocals and colorful lyrics, these sapphics have always been the best at describing sex. Whether through metaphor and analogy or straight-up describing the physical act of girl-on-girl sex, these artists have celebrated sapphic sexuality for decades.Sign up for the PRIDE.com Newsletter to get a candid take on whats fresh and fun in LGBTQ+ culture this week!"The Giver" - Chappell RoanDon't forget, Chappell Roan's previous hit "Casual" had a famous line about being "Knee-deep in the passenger seat and you're eating me out. In "Red Wine Supernova," she sings about having a "wand and a rabbit / So baby, let's get freaky, get kinky / Let's make this bed get squeaky." With her new hit, "The Giver," Roan sings about the virtues of being a service top and getting the "job done" when she sleeps with a girl."And other boys may need a map / But I can close my eyes and have you wrapped around my fingers like that," she sings before asking her partner to "take it like a taker.""Lunch" - Billie EilishOn her first album after coming out, Eilish went full force in this song, declaring that she "could eat that girl for lunch / Yeah, she dances on my tongue" and saying that she wants to "get her off." It's pretty clear what Eilish is singing about, and that didn't stop the song from hitting number 5 on the Billboard chart when it was released last year."PYNK" - Janelle Mone ft. GrimesWith lyrics like "Pynk like the tongue that goes down, maybe / Pynk like the paradise found / Pynk when you're blushing inside, baby," and "Pynk like the lips around your, maybe / Pynk like the skin that's under, baby / Pynk where its deepest inside, crazy / Pynk beyond forest and thighs," this Janelle Mone classic makes our own cheeks turn pink from blushing!This is far from Mone's only song about lesbian sex (check out "Lipstick Lover," "Paid in Pleasure," and more).Check out their Out100 cover story here!"girls just wanna have sex" - mazieMazie left nothing up to our imaginations with this kickass song from 2023. In addition to the hook of "Girls just wanna have sex," the second verse starts "Oh, f*ck, she's eating me out / I'm trying not to scream on her parents' couch" and continues with "her hands are on my neck, she's got a grip / She can turn me on just like a switch."Check out our interview with mazie."Slumber Party" - Ashnikko ft. Princess NokiaAshnikko is never one to be shy, and she bares it all on this sexy song with Princess Nokia. With lyrics like "Me and your girlfriend playing dress up in my house / I gave your girlfriend cunnilingus on my couch," "My girl look like Wednesday Addams / Eyes go black when she orgasms" and "She do that thing she usually do / Spell my name with her tongue, like uh-huh," we know exactly what kind of slumber party this is, and no ones getting any sleep."Head Bitch" - Chrissy ChlapeckaChrissy Chlapecka loves to go full bimbo, celebrating her own sexuality with fun and attitude, and in this song, she declares herself "Head Bitch," singing "I'm gonna make her drip / I've been fantasizing 'bout between her thighs / And I've got her on my lips / Give her head / Head bitch."Check out our interview with Chrissy Chlapecka."Touch Me" Victoria Montft. KehlaniVictoria Mont and Kehlani slow things down on this sensual song that goes from 0 to 60 in no time flat. The very first lyrics of the first verse are "Went from hand on the wheel to hands on my thigh / To hands on my body in the back of the Porsche / I'm in love with your fingertips."One of the sexiest lines has to be the song's ode to the lesbian manicure, where she sings, "And when you rock them short nails, that's lowkey sentimental / Now keep 'em cut though so there ain't no incidentals." When the chorus comes around with "touch me, feel me/ Get to know me inside," we're already totally in the mood."1st Position" - KehlaniKehlani is undoubtedly one of the sexiest singers ever, and they lay it all out on "1st Position.""Let me show you what it's like to f*ck with something right / Girl, let me put you one with something real / Wanna show you how it feels to rock with something trill / So come join me in this room, girl, this time / I know what you like, baby, let me get you right," she sings. And girls everywhere swoon."Body" - SydSyd is another artist who knows her way around a sexy song. In "Body," she takes control, singing about body language. "Baby, we can take it slow, say my name / Don't let go, I can hear your body when I / Pull your hair, what's my name," she sings, before adding "the bed is your stage / Take it away.""Dirty Girl" Siena Liggins with Baby TateSiena Liggins brings in the cartoon references to this sex song about being a "Dirty Girl", singing "You might wanna call me daddy but I'm not your father / Ass Krabby Patties, eat it underwater" and "You like how my persona make you wet like Moana," before going into a chorus of "Dirty girl, talk dirty to me, talk dirty to me / Tell me all the things you wanna do."Check out our interview with Baby Tate."Bestie" - Sizzy RocketIn "Bestie," Sizzie Rocket tells the tale as old as time of one girl falling in love with her best friend. What starts as a flirtation and deep connection soon moves to, "Oh my god she's looking fantastic / Cause tonight she keeps on shaking that ass / And I keep picturing her when she orgasms," because she has to admit, "I wanna f*ck, f*ck, f*ck my best friend.""Drain Me!" - Towa BirdWhen it comes to rock, Towa Bird knows how to write a great sex song. In "Drain Me!" she uses metaphors like "Drip drop in the dark / Butterfly, baby / Waterfall, super soak" and explicitly tells us where she's having sex. "Back of my car, in the shower / Take it too far, take what you want / You want, you want, you want / Drain me," she sings."Pussy Is God" - King PrincessIt's hard to get more explicit than saying "Your p*ssy is god," like King Princess does in this song. "You know that it's God baby when you're around her," she sings, "I've been praying for hours." It takes getting down on your knees for a girl to a new level."Rub" - PeachesPeaches leaves nothing to the imagination in "Rub." "Tell on my p*ssy / Whistle blow my clit," she sings, before adding in "Watch it open up cuz it can't keep a secret / Circle jerk girls who spray," as well as the killer bridge "Can't talk right now, this chick's d*ck is in my mouth," and the chorus of "Come with me.""bitches" - Tove Lo"Let me be your guide when you eat my p*ssy out," Tove Lo sings on this song celebrating quick hookups with girls. "Bitches, I don't trust 'em / But they give me what I want for the night / Bitches, I don't trust 'em / But I tell 'em and they do what I like," she adds. After bragging that girls "can't fake it" with her and even are "Drying off the seat when they getting up to leave," she tells them, "So, baby, spread your legs, I'll do the same, already coming.""I F*cked Yr Mom" - Sorry MomIf you're looking for a great story song about lesbian sex, look no further than "I F*cked Yr Mom" by New York-based queer punk band Sorry Mom. The band begins talking about encountering moms at PTA meetings and adult swims at the pool, but ends up saying, "I took your mom home / And I bend her over my desk / And I f*cked the sh*t out of your mom / And god, she f*cking loved it.""Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" - Sophie B. HawkinsSophie B. Hawkins has an all-time classic with the 1992 hit, "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover," in which the omnisexual Hawkins sings, "I'll rock you 'til the daylight comes / Make sure you smiling and warm / I am everything / Tonight I'll be your mother / I'll do such things to ease your pain" and then goes into detail, saying "Open up, I wanna gonna come inside / I wanna fill you up, I wanna make you cry." Lesbians have been getting down to this song for decades."sushi for breakfast" - BAYLILesbians love a little morning sex, and in "sushi for breakfast," BAYLI sings all about the wonderful world of an early excursion in the sheets. She doesn't need love, she just wants "sushi for breakfast." With her swagger, singing lines like, "Turn you on when you see me actin' reckless," we know she gets it."Drive" - Melissa FerrickIn this song from 2000, Melissa Ferrick sings an extended metaphor, saying she can "drive" as long as, anywhere, and any way her partner wants. "Your mouth waters / Stretched out on my bed / Your fingers are trembling / And your heart is heavy and red / And your head is bent back / And your back is arched / My hand is under there / Holding you up," she sings."Persephone" - Allison RussellCanadian Americana superstar and Grammy-winner Allison Russell sings about her love affair with a woman named Persephone in this beautiful song. In the second verse of the song, she gets down to business, singing, "Mouth to mouth, mouth to flower / Salty sweet you give me power / I feel you shake under my lips / Your fingers tender find my secrets" and urges her lover to not make a sound because her parents are "sleeping just above." It's sexy and romantic.Check out our interview with Allison Russell."Nectar" - RaveenaRaveena sings about providing "Mother Earth in my thighs" in this slow jam. "I get so wild, so / Let me show it to you / Mm, I got the nectar / Affection, and truth / Baby, ooh, baby," she sings over a seductive, sultry, and scintillating beat."Drip" - AsiahnIn "Drip," singer Asiahn introduces her partner to the joys of lesbian sex, and though her partner is nervous, she knows it's going well because "Your body speakin' my language / And it's sayin' / Drip, drip, drip, drop." "Imagine us skin-to-skin, eye-to-eye / Bodies wet from the sweat, I'm workin' out with you / Fingertips trembling into places wonderful (Oh)/ Whisperin' 'how does it feel?' and 'Do you like?'" she sings. Things only get hotter from there."Freak" - Jada Michael"When it comes to you and me / Girl, you know that I'm the one who gives you what you need," Jada Michael brags in this song about being a lady in the streets but a freak in the sheets. "Baby, when I tell you play my favorite song / Put your body on me / I know that really turns you on / Please don't tell nobody / About that thing I like to do / When you know that I've missed you / I don't care who's got a view / I hold nothing back from you.""Handle Me" - MUNAMUNA brings some softness to songs about sapphic sex with this gentle song about not being so gentle in bed. "I am not a brand-new bicycle / I am rough around the edge," they sing, "I am not a flower petal / You can handle me / Put your hands on me." They make it even clearer when they sing, "Bend me back and send me flying / I'm not gonna break, I promise / You can handle me," and continue giving instructions from there. Now this is a power bottom anthem!Check out our interview with MUNA frontwoman Katie Gavin."Dive" - Tiffany GoucheInglewood-based singer Tiffany Gouch dives in deep in this song where she sings her lover has "Some of the sweetest of juice, some of the sweetest / Baby call you a food group / Tell me how ya body feels when I'm kissing you all over / Lookin' like you want to explode / Going so hard that the bed can't hold us."Songs about lesbian sexCheck out the entire playlist here!

Chappell Roan has achieved even more success with her new song, The Giver, debuting at #5 on Billboards Hot 100 and claiming the #1 spot on the Hot Country Songs chart. This milestone makes Roan the first artist since Beyonc to achieve such a feat, with Beyonc also debuting at #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart in 2023 with Texas Hold Em. Roans achievement marks her third top 10 hit onSource

Nature, Published online: 01 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00997-1Supershear quake moved fast and far, amplifying the damage and human toll.

Nature, Published online: 01 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01002-5The European Unions new research chief Ekaterina Zaharieva speaks to Nature about attracting disaffected US scientists and cutting grant bureaucracy.

Hansi Flick has said there is no luck to Barcelona success this season but he knows it's trophies that matter as he prepares for Wednesday's "final before the final" against Atltico Madrid in the Copa del Rey.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that Erling Haaland could be on the sidelines for seven weeks with an ankle injury he picked up against Bournemouth in their FA Cup quarterfinal.

While Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday that it would be "a hell of a story" if Aaron Rodgers joined the Vikings, he also said he wasn't going to "constantly think" about it.

Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II said he keeps "hearing" that Aaron Rodgers is "headed in our direction."

Detroit's Isaiah Stewart, Marcus Sasser and Ron Holland II and Minnesota's Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid were all suspended for their roles in Sunday's skirmish.

Right-hander reliever Adam Ottavino is returning to the New York Yankees on a one-year deal, the team announced Tuesday.

All the prospects fantasy managers should be keeping an eye on as the season gets underway.

The Premier League will start using its semi-automated VAR offside technology (SAOT) as of Matchweek 32 on the weekend of April 12-14.

Hansi Flick has said there is no luck to Barcelona success this season but he knows it's trophies that matter as he prepares for Wednesday's "final before the final" against Atltico Madrid in the Copa del Rey.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that Erling Haaland could be on the sidelines for seven weeks with an ankle injury he picked up against Bournemouth in their FA Cup quarterfinal.

Steve Rad, CEO of toy maker Abacus Brands Inc., which designs science kits and other educational toys for older children, shows a new improved matte box, left, that will replace its black mold plastic material packaging insert with an improved cardboard material to help offset the costs of future tariffs in El Segundo, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)2025-04-01T16:35:43Z NEW YORK (AP) Gadgets sold without batteries. Toys sold in slimmed-down boxes or no packaging at all. More household goods that shoppers need to assemble themselves.These are some of the ways consumer product companies are retooling their wares to reduce costs and avoid raising prices as President Donald Trump levies new import taxes on key trading partners as well as some materials used by American manufacturers.The economic environment in which the president has imposed, threatened and occasionally postponed repeated rounds of tariffs is more precarious than during his first term. U.S. consumers are feeling tapped out after several years of inflation. Businesses say tariffs add to their expenses and eat into their profits, but they are wary of losing sales if they try to pass all of the increase on to customers.Instead, some companies are exploring cost-cutting options, both ones that consumers likely would notice in time remember shrinkflation? and ones that exist too far down the supply chain for them to see. The changes may help minimize price increases yet wont be enough in every case to offset them completely. These are some of the strategies retailers and brands have in mind: A kink in the supply chain: After putting an extra 20% tariff on all goods from China, as well as a 25% tariff on imported steel, aluminum and automobiles, Trump said he would announce on Wednesday the targets of reciprocal tariffs that mirror the taxes all other nations apply to certain U.S. exports. He argues the tariffs will spur domestic manufacturing, among other goals. Also on the horizon: twice-delayed tariffs on most goods from Canada and Mexico, and duties on copper, lumber and pharmaceutical drugs. Kimberly Kirkendall, president of supply-chain consulting firm International Resource Development, has told clients U.S. makers of shelving, home goods and food products that given all the uncertainty, this is not the time for long-term moves like seeking factories outside of China. She encouraged them to focus on the short term, particularly the need to scrutinize product lines from every angle for possible savings.Youve got to collaborate and work together with your suppliers in this situation to be able to bring costs down, Kirkendall said.Sourcing concerns are not only a worry for big companies that rely on Chinese manufacturers. Sasha Iglehart, founder of a small online clothing company called Shirt Story, has a collection of upcycled mens shirts that sell for around $235. She said she typically gets her vintage buttons from an Austrian supplier and knows Trump has talked about taxing goods from the European Union.I will continue to look for local vendors and collectors here in the States as back up, said Iglehart, whose company is based in Connecticut. Reworking a productFor many companies, evaluating which components or details they can remove from their products or replace with less expensive ones is the go-to move for absorbing the potential financial hit from tariffs. Los Angeles-based toy company Abacus Brands Inc., which designs science kits and other educational toys, has most of its products made in China. By using slightly thinner paper in an 80-page project book that comes with two of its kits, the company expects to avert a $10 retail price increase, President Steve Rad said. Three or 4 cents here, Rad said. Seven or 6 cents there. Two more pennies over there. All of a sudden, youve made up the difference.Aurora World Inc., known for its plush pets and toy vehicles, is looking at using fewer paint colors as a way to counteract tariff costs, according to Gabe Higa, managing director of the California companys toy division. All of Aurora Worlds toys come from factories in China. This is something that makes it a little bit simpler so that theres less manual labor involved or less material cost, Higa said. (It) doesnt have a lot of incremental value so its easy to take away. The company still may have to raise prices as long as the new tariffs are in effect, he said. Economy packaging: Tweaking or reducing product packaging is another area where importers may cut back and carries the advantage of possibly appealing to eco-conscious customers.Basic Fun CEO Jay Foreman, whose company markets classic toys like Tonka trucks, Lincoln Logs and Care Bears, said he is presenting retailers with three different packaging options and asking them to decide which ones they prefer for the trucks and some other products that will be in stores next spring. The first is the current packaging, which consists of a box with a big open window that lets customers see whats inside. The second option: no box, just a tray attached to the bottom of toys to hold them in place on shelves. The third: unwrapped but affixed with a simple paper price tag that features brand information.The second-tier packaging would reduce the toy companys cost per item by $1.25, and the package-free version would yield savings of $1.75, Foreman said. Both would diminish the appeal of the products and would not come close to canceling out the tariff on goods made in China, Foreman said. He said he would make pricing decisions later this week after Trump provides details about his planned reciprocal tariffs. To further reduce its production costs, Abacus Brands is thinking of switching from plastic to cardboard for the package inserts that keep toy parts in place. Cardboard trays cost 7 cents per unit compared to 30 cents for the plastic version, according to Rad.The change requires finding a new factory to make the inserts, a move that did not make financial sense before now, he said. The various tariff-related modifications should be effective for fall and holiday deliveries to stores, Rad said. The compromises were making are things that do not matter to the consumer, he said.Forget the extrasShoppers will likely have to assemble more of their products at home as companies look to reduce shipping costs, according to Kirkendall of International Resource Development.One of her clients manufactures self-watering planters that are made in China. The product is undergoing a redesign so it can be shipped as separate nesting components instead of fully assembled.Companies also are reevaluating the pieces of their products that are essential or extra. Chris Bajda, managing partner at online wedding gift retailer Groomsday, said accessories like batteries and decorative gift boxes may end up in the latter category.We now carefully assess whats truly necessary and avoid including items that dont serve a functional purpose for the customer, Bajda said.The return of shrinkflation? Reducing the size or weight of products without lowering prices proliferated as a business practice from 2021 through 2024 as companies grappled with rising costs for ingredients, packaging, labor and transportation. Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate and former assistant attorney general in Massachusetts, suspects the makers of consumer goods will embrace shrinkflation again to hide costs given the blast of new tariffs. The additional import tax on Canadian soft lumber, for example, might show up in smaller toilet paper rolls, he said. Shrinkflation has been a little quiet in the last few months, Dworksy said. But I would expect to see both price increases and product shrinkage. ANNE DINNOCENZIO DInnocenzio writes about retail, trends, the consumer economy and hourly workers for The Associated Press. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

In collaboration with the GLAAD Media Award winning seriesRuPauls Drag Race, Paramount has recently launched an all new mental health initiative, aimed to help viewers improve their mental health with the power of creativity. RuPauls Drag Race: Creativity as Self-Care believes that creativity and self-expression arent just for the runway. Finding your creative flow can [...]The post Paramount Launches New Mental Health Initiative: RuPauls Drag Race: Creativity as Self-Care first appeared on GLAAD.

Olympic runner Yared Nuguse is celebrating a different kind of victory with the world after hard launching his boyfriend on social media.Nuguse has been making waves in the running world for several years now. Most recently, he took home a bronze medal in the 1500-meter race as part of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. And as it turns out, he had somebody special cheering him on as he did."Introducing my boyfriend, Julian," Nuguse wrote on Instagram over the weekend. "Cant believe were already one year in my love."See on InstagramAccording to Sportskeeda, this relationship reveal also serves as Nuguses public coming out. Presumably, the cheeky parenthetical at the end of his Instagram caption reinforces this."(Dont act so surprised)," he added.Fans and friends alike rushed to congratulate the two on their happiness, with heart emojis flooding the comments section of Nuguses Instagram post."Love this - you will inspire so many!!!" wrote one person, while fellow middle-distance runner George Beamish called the post "fantastic content.""Sheesh, as if you werent inspiring enough already!" @runningkindalate said. "Queer visibility in sport means a lot to a lot of people. Appreciate you, man."Congratulations to the happy couple! (@)

Nature, Published online: 01 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01018-xLong-awaited report explores the practicalities of building a triple-sized version of the LHC.

Nature, Published online: 01 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01016-zIn shock move, four institute directors at the US biomedical agency are removed from their posts.

Everything you need to know about the play-in tournament, including how it works, who's playing and when.

Wayne Rooney has revealed he came close to joining Barcelona in 2010 in a transfer that would have seen him link up with Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta at Camp Nou.

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York said the team's decision to move on from several veterans was the flip side of needing to sign quarterback Brock Purdy to a massive new deal.

NFL owners have tabled voting on the Green Bay Packers' proposal to ban the tush push in order to have further discussion.

Long-time St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn announced retirement Tuesday after 13 seasons in Major League Baseball.

The USL Super League, a first-division women's professional league nearing the conclusion of its inaugural season, will host its championship match on the weekend of June 14.

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UConn freshman wing Liam McNeeley, a projected lottery pick and No. 14 prospect in ESPN's draft projections, will enter the 2025 NBA draft, he told ESPN on Tuesday.

Everything you need to know about the play-in tournament, including how it works, who's playing and when.

Lionel Messi's bodyguard Yassine Cheuko has been banned from protecting the Argentine forward from the touchline during Inter Miami matches.

The icon for the TikTok video sharing app is seen on a smartphone in Marple Township, Pa., on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)2025-04-01T16:37:09Z LOS ANGELES (AP) As the deadline to strike a deal over TikTok approaches this week, President Donald Trump has signaled that he is confident his administration can broker an agreement with ByteDance, the social media apps China-based parent company.Speaking with reporters on Air Force One late Sunday, Trump said that theres tremendous interest in Tiktok. He added that he would like to see TikTok remain alive. The presidents comments came less than one week before an April deadline requiring ByteDance to divest or face a ban in the United States.We have a lot of potential buyers, Trump said. Trump also said that the administration is dealing with China who also want it because they may have something to do with it. Last week, Trump said he would consider a reduction in tariffs on China if that countrys government approves a sale of TikToks operations in the U.S. Questions about the fate of the popular video sharing app have continued to linger since a law requiring ByteDances divestment took effect on Jan. 19. After taking office, Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve by signing an executive order that delayed enforcement of the statute until April 5. During his first term, Trump tried to ban TikTok on national security grounds, which was halted by the courts before his administration negotiated a sale of the platform that eventually failed to materialize. He changed his position on the popular app during last years presidential election and has credited the platform with helping him win more young voters. I won the young vote by 36 points. Republicans generally dont do very well with the young vote, he said Sunday. I think a lot of it could have been TikTok.Trump has said that the deadline on a TikTok deal could be extended further if needed. He previously proposed terms in which the U.S. would have a 50% stake in a joint venture. The administration hasnt provided details on what that type of deal would entail. TikTok and ByteDance have not publicly commented on the talks. Its also unclear if ByteDance has changed its position on selling TikTok, which it said early last year it does not plan to do. What will happen on April 5?If TikTok is not sold to an approved buyer by April 5, the original law that bans it nationwide would once again go into effect. However, the deadline for the executive order doesnt appear to be set in stone and the president has reiterated it could be extended further if needed.Trumps order came a few days after the Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law that required ByteDance to divest or be banned in January. The day after the ruling, TikTok went dark for U.S. users and came back online after Trump vowed to stall the ban.The decision to keep TikTok alive through an executive order has received some scrutiny, but it has not faced a legal challenge in court.Who wants to buy TikTok?Although its unclear if ByteDance plans to sell TikTok, several potential bidders have come forward in the past few months.Aides for Vice President JD Vance, who was tapped to oversee a potential deal, have reached out to some parties, such as the artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, to get additional details about their bids, according to a person familiar with the matter. In January, Perplexity AI presented ByteDance with a merger proposal that would combine Perplexitys business with TikToks U.S. operation. Other potential bidders include a consortium organized by billionaire businessman Frank McCourt, which recently recruited Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian as a strategic adviser. Investors in the consortium say theyve offered ByteDance $20 billion in cash for TikToks U.S. platform. And if successful, they plan to redesign the popular app with blockchain technology they say will provide users with more control over their online data.Jesse Tinsley, the founder of the payroll firm Employer.com, says he too has organized a consortium, which includes the CEO of the video game platform Roblox, and is offering ByteDance more than $30 billion for TikTok. Trump said in January that Microsoft was also eyeing the popular app. Other interested parties include Trumps former Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin and Rumble, the video site popular with some conservatives and far-right groups. In a post on X last March, Rumble said it was ready to join a consortium of parties interested in purchasing TikTok and serving as a tech partner for the company. SARAH PARVINI Parvini covers artificial intelligence for The Associated Press. She is based in Los Angeles. mailto

Saturday, March 29th, was a Night of Pride at the LA Kings Hockey Stadium! In collaboration with GLAAD, the Crypto.com Arena turned into a celebration of queer joy during the Kings game against the Toronto Maple Leafs this past weekend. To kick off the night, actor Marco Pigossi did the puck drop, to signify the [...]The post The LA Kings Celebrate Pride Night with GLAAD and Frankie Grande! first appeared on GLAAD.

After two years with little progress in the case, supporters and friends of the late drag queen Heklina are demanding justice from the London Metropolitan Police, who they are accusing of homophobia in the investigation into her death. Heklina whose birth name was Stefan Grygelko was found dead by close friends and fellow drag queen Peaches Christ (Joshua Grannell) in London on April 3, 2023, but The Met has yet to reveal the cause of death, although they have said labeled her death as unexpected, the BBC reports. On March 31, protesters carrying signs reading, We Deserve Justice, Not Discrimination, Queer Safety Over Police Power, End Met Police Homophobia Now! and blown-up photos of Heklina walked along the Thames River Embankment and gathered outside of New Scotland Yard, accusing investigators of shirking their responsibilities in the case due to homophobic bias.Sign up for the PRIDE.com Newsletter to get a candid take on whats fresh and fun in LGBTQ+ culture this week!Peaches Christ, LGBTQ+ activist Peter Tatchell, drag queens Cheddar Gorgeous, and Crystal all spoke at the rally that was held in tandem with an event at The Stud in San Francisco where drag queens perfumed and then protestors participated in a candlelit march to nightclub Oasis, which Heklina helped transform into a drag and cabaret club.We feel your sisterly love here in London and we super appreciate it, Peaches Christ told the crowd in London, per the San Francisco Chronicle. This sunshine, this weather today, I feel Heklina is with us and she will be in San Francisco later today.See on InstagramThe police said it apologized to Heklinas family and was working to establish any missed opportunities in the case after reviewing the investigation. The Met has also been accused of keeping information from the family and for taking until January of this year to release the CCTV footage that showed three men leaving the flat where Heklina was found dead and was living at with Peaches Christ at the time of her death.When Heklina died, there was no public appeal for witnesses and it's taken them two years to release the CCTV footage, Tatchell told the BBC. Tatchell joined the rally outside The Met in an attempt to hold the polices feet to the fire."That is an abject betrayal of trust and confidence, and I think the police have to answer those questions and have to start getting serious about finding out how Heklina died, he said, adding that the case was proof that The Met is institutionally homophobic."They're not treating the death of a significant member of our community seriously, they've not done the basics of any proper investigation, Tatchell continued.Drag Race star Crystal (Colin Seymour) echoed this frustration with the police, telling the publication that the handling of the case has been disgraceful.It seems very clear that homophobic bias has influenced the investigation in this case," she said.When Heklinas body was found by Peaches Christ, she was still in drag and found in a compromising position, potentially leading to internal bias coloring the investigation into her death."It paints a very clear picture that if you're a queer person, especially if you're gender non-conforming, and you die unexplained, then the police don't care. It seems to be only through the threat of public action that anything's been getting done with this case, Crystal explained.Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah told the BBC The Met is aware that there is "frustration with the pace of the police investigation."We continue to examine all lines of inquiry in relation to Steven's death and remain steadfast in our determination to establish the facts, she said.

Nature, Published online: 01 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08906-2Author Correction: Isoprene nitrates drive new particle formation in Amazons upper troposphere

Lionel Messi's bodyguard Yassine Cheuko has been banned from protecting the Argentine forward from the touchline during Inter Miami matches.

Buzz Williams has been hired as the new men's basketball coach at Maryland, ending his six-year stint at Texas A&M.

The method for measuring first downs in the NFL will switch from chain gangs to camera-based technology in 2025, the league announced Tuesday.

The two-time Pro Bowl guard is switching positions, which could help running back Josh Jacobs.

The Oklahoma City Thunder guard appeared with his signature shoes in the hit song's music video.