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Since her birth 10 years ago, Mackenzie Holmes has rarely called one place home for long. There was the house in Houston owned by her grandmother, Crystal Holmes. Then, after Holmes lost her Southwest Airlines job and the house, there was the trio of apartments in the suburbs — and three evictions. Then another rental, and another eviction. Then motels and her uncle’s one-bedroom apartment, where Mackenzie and her grandmother slept on an inflatable mattress. Finally, Crystal Holmes secured a spot in a women’s shelter, so the two would no longer have to sleep on the floor. With nearly every move came a new school, a new set of classmates, and new lessons to catch up on. Mackenzie only has one friend she’s known longer than a year, and she didn’t receive testing or a diagnosis for dyslexia until this year. She would often miss long stretches of class in between schools. Schoolchildren threatened with eviction are more likely to end up in another district or transfer to another school, often one with less funding, more poverty and lower test scores. They’re more likely to miss school, and those who end up transferring are suspended more often. That’s according to an analysis from the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, published in Sociology of Education, a peer-reviewed journal, and shared exclusively with The Associated Press’ Education Reporting Network. Pairing court filings and student records from the Houston Independent School District, where Mackenzie started kindergarten, researchers identified more than 18,000 times between 2002 and 2016 when students lived in homes threatened with eviction filings. They found students facing eviction were absent more often. Even when they didn’t have to change schools, students threatened with eviction missed four more days in the following school year than their peers. In all, researchers counted 13,197 children between 2002 and 2016 whose parents faced an eviction filing. A quarter of those children faced repeated evictions. As eviction rates in Houston continue to worsen, there might be more children like Mackenzie. Falling behind on rent — and finding a way to finish the school year Neveah Barahona, a 17-year-old big sister to seven siblings, started kindergarten in Houston, but has moved schools half a dozen times. Her mother, Roxanne Abarca, knew moving can be disruptive. So whenever she fell behind on rent and the family was forced to move, she tried to let them finish the school year – even if it meant driving them great distances. Neveah, a strong student who hopes to join the military, said the moves took a toll. “It is kind of draining, meeting new people, meeting new teachers, getting on track with … what they want to teach you and what you used to know,” Neveah said. Then there’s finding her way with new classmates. A spate of bullying this year left her despondent until she got counseling. Households with children are about twice as likely to face eviction than those without children, Eviction Lab research has shown. That’s 1.5 million children getting evicted every year — and one in 20 children under 5 living in a rental home. Still, much of the discourse focuses on adults — the landlords and grown-up tenants — rather than the kids caught in the middle, said Peter Hepburn, the study’s lead author. “It’s … worth reminding people that 40% of the people at risk of losing their homes through the eviction process are kids,” said Hepburn, a sociology professor at Rutgers University-Newark and associate director at the Eviction Lab. Households often become more vulnerable to eviction because they fall behind when they have children. Only 5% of low-wage earners, who are especially vulnerable to housing instability, have access to paid parental leave. Under a federal law that protects homeless students, districts are supposed to try to keep children in the same school if they lose their housing midyear, providing daily transportation. But children who are evicted don’t always qualify for those services. Even those who do often fall through the cracks, because schools don’t know why children are leaving or where they’re headed. Evicted families navigate invisible school boundaries In the sprawl of Houston, it can be especially challenging for transient students to stay on track. The metropolis bleeds seamlessly from the city limits to unincorporated parts of Harris County, which is divided into 24 other districts. It’s easy to leave Houston’s school district without realizing it. And despite the best efforts of parents and caretakers, kids can miss a lot of school in transition. That’s what happened in January, when Mackenzie’s grandmother, then staying in her son’s one-bedroom apartment with her granddaughter, got desperate. Fearful her son would get evicted for having family stay with him, Crystal Holmes — who had no home, no car and no cell phone service — walked miles to a women’s shelter. The shelter, where she and Mackenzie now share a room, is in another district’s enrollment zone. She worried about Mackenzie being forced to move schools again — the fifth grader had already missed the first three weeks of the school year, when her grandmother struggled to get her enrolled. Thankfully, the federal law kicked in, and Mackenzie’s school, Thornwood Elementary, now sends a car to fetch her and other students from the shelter. Houston Independent School District did not respond to interview requests. Millicent Brown lives in a public housing project in Houston, alongside an elevated highway so noisy she had to buy a louder doorbell. She and her daughter, Nova, 5, were forced to move last year when Nova’s father threatened to hurt Brown. Nova had attended a charter school. But when she moved, the school said it could only bus Nova from her new home if she waited on a street that Brown said was too dangerous. Instead, Nova missed a month of school before enrolling in a nearby public school. Brown grew up bouncing between schools and wants better for Nova. But she may have to move again: The state has plans to widen the highway. It would wipe out her housing project — and Nova’s new school. Nearly three years ago, Neveah and her family settled into a ranch-style home down a country road in Aldine. It’s brightly lit, with four bedrooms and a renovated kitchen. Neaveah adopted a neighborhood cat named she named Bella. Her sister Aaliyah painted a portrait of the home that’s displayed in the living room. “When we were little, we always kept moving,” Aaliyah said. “I don’t want to move. I already got comfortable here.” Then, last year, her mother once again began to fall behind on rent. Ultimately, Abarca received an eviction notice. The mother was lucky. At the courthouse, she met an employee tasked with helping families stay in their homes. The employee connected her with a nonprofit that agreed to pay six months of her rent while Abarca got back on her feet. And she did, working from home as a call operator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. But the siblings’ dream of a “forever home” may still come to an end. Abarca learned this month the home’s owner hopes to sell to an investor, displacing them once again. ____ The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Moriah Balingit, AP education writer View the full article

DÔEN and Gap are teaming up for a second time following the success of the brands’ collaboration last year, which went viral on TikTok and sold out within a matter of days. This year’s collection will focus on “California vintage-inspired classics,” according to a release, and include some custGet ready, Gap and Doen are releasing a second collectionomer favorites from 2024, as well as some new additions, including several menswear pieces. This marks Doen’s first foray into menswear. The 38-piece collection, launching at 12pm ET on May 2, ranges in price from $34 to $158. DÔEN’s dresses normally start closer to $250, so the opportunity to own one of their iconic styles at a more approachable pricepoint had customers running for the racks last year. The brands this year aren’t expecting anything different. “Our first collection with DÔEN set a new bar for how a collaboration can infuse a fresh perspective into Gap essentials, creating covetable pieces that left our customers wanting more,” said Mark Breitbard, President and CEO of Gap. California natives Katherine and Margaret Kleveland describe the collection as “rooted in DÔEN’s feminine interpretation of iconic Gap styles,” but it also expands into both menswear and baby this year, key cohorts of the Gap audience. The sisters’ collaboration with Gap builds on bestsellers from the collection drop last year, including eyelet maxi dresses in new iterations, with different colorways and mini dress options. The collection is nautical-inspired, with notes of red, white and navy blue running throughout, a difference from the 2024 collab. Gingham and collegiate prep are also making a return as strong features of the new collection via matching sets, sweatshirts featuring a hybrid logo along with DÔENs’s wordmark, and baseball caps. Another essential aspect of the collection is its denim staples: customers can opt for the oversized denim jacket, new denim trouser shorts, or a sailor mini dress. Alongside these items is the men’s Pleated Denim Trousers, one of several pieces designed with men in mind. In addition to the other masculine-inspired and gender-neutral pieces–like the baseball cap and sweatshirts featuring a combined DOEN and Gap logo–there are five menswear options. A first for DÔEN, the pieces include the Organic Cotton Poplin Big Shirt, the Eyelet Shirt, and the Pocket T-Shirt. The menswear was inspired by customer testimonials, as DÔEN buyers’ husbands, brothers, and boyfriends made DÔEN’s knitwear or jackets their own, Margaret Kleveland told Women’s Wear Daily. In the first collaboration with Gap, the sisters watched men adopt the collection’s popular crewnecks. “This year, we’re expanding the conversation, and continuing to drive brand relevance by reintroducing customer favorites,” said Breitbard of the Gap x Doen collection. “We also are giving DÔEN a platform to debut men’s styles at scale, delivering something fresh and unexpected for both brands’ communities.” The Gap X DÔEN collection was produced in factories that participate in RISE, or Reimagining Industry to Support Equality. Founded in 2023 by four members, including Gap, RISE’s mission is “to empower women workers, embed gender equality in business practice and catalyze systems change.” Gap cardmembers will receive early access to the collection online on May 1. If you missed last year’s Gap x Doen collection, now’s your chance. View the full article

‘Ministerial direction’ raises questions over the price of saving country’s last two blast furnacesView the full article

Search industry experts are sounding the alarm over a growing Google experiment that’s creating a kind of “SERP Inception” — search results inside search results, with increasingly prominent Sponsored labels that don’t appear to be paid ad placements in the traditional sense. Driving the news. SEO consultant Glenn Gabe posted a screenshot on X showing a People also consider box labeled Sponsored. The twist? Clicking a link launches a new Google results page – complete with ads and another Sponsored box, perpetuating the loop. “They lead to a fresh SERP with more ads and yet ANOTHER ‘People also consider’ block that’s SPONSORED,” Gabe wrote. The backstory. Google began testing this format in 2024. Search Engine Land’s Barry Schwartz reported on the feature in February. But as it re-emerges, ad experts are asking: Who’s behind the sponsorship? And how should advertisers interpret this? Zoom in. Julie Bacchini, Founder of Neptune Moon, asked where the ads originate. Are they part of Performance Max campaigns? Can advertisers track them? Google’s response. Ginny Marvin, Google Ads Liaison, replied on X: “This is currently an experiment. Advertisers do not pay for clicks on these placements. As part of this experiment, we label this unit as ‘Sponsored’ because it links to search results for commercial queries related to the search.” Why we care. This update could change how users interact with search results, potentially driving traffic through SERP loops not tied to traditional ad campaigns. Because the Sponsored label doesn’t reflect paid placements, it blurs the line between organic and paid content, making it harder to track performance and understand attribution. The recursive SERP loop could also feel manipulative or overwhelming to users, who are already adjusting to AI Overviews and more aggressive ad placements. As Google increasingly blends ads, AI summaries, and “organic” enhancements, the line between content and monetization continues to blur View the full article

In pain so bad he couldn’t stand, Chris Meek was rushed to the hospital with a life-threatening ruptured gallbladder. When he emerged from surgery, he learned he had kidney cancer that thankfully hadn’t yet spread. Meek, a social studies teacher in Wilmington, North Carolina, was 47 at the time. But he remained confused for years about why, as someone seemingly not at risk, he had gotten cancer until Emily Donovan, a parent of students at his school, gave a guest talk about high levels of harmful forever chemicals known as PFAS in North Carolina’s environment. When Donovan mentioned kidney cancer, the possible cause of Meek’s diagnosis finally clicked. Until then, Meek said, he “had no idea what PFAS was.” Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency set the first federal drinking water limits for PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, finding they increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and babies being born with low birth weight. In a decision with consequences for tens of millions of Americans, the The President administration is expected to soon say whether it intends to stand by those strict standards and defend the limits against a water utility industry challenge in federal court. PFAS in drinking water created a crisis for many communities In North Carolina, runoff from a Chemours plant contaminated the Cape Fear River, creating a crisis for cities like Wilmington that use it for drinking water. Amid public outcry, Wilmington effectively eliminated it from tap water. Other U.S. communities—often near military bases or industrial sites—did the same when test results were frightening and public pressure, local leadership, or state law forced PFAS-laden wells offline or prompted installation of expensive filtering systems, according to Mark White, drinking water global practice leader at the engineering firm CDM Smith. The EPA said the PFAS found in North Carolina, often called GenX chemicals, can be toxic to the kidney. While other types of PFAS may raise kidney cancer risk, little research has focused on the link between kidney cancer and GenX, according to Sue Fenton, director of the Center for Human Health and the Environment at North Carolina State University. Chemours said evidence doesn’t support arguments that GenX at low levels is a health threat. The company has sharply reduced PFAS discharges. So far, sampling has found nearly 12% of U.S. water utilities are above the recently set EPA limits, but most aren’t above by much. Forcing this group to reduce PFAS more than doubles the rule’s health benefits but roughly triples its costs, the EPA has said. The Biden administration’s rule set standards for two common types of PFAS at 4 parts per trillion, effectively the lowest level at which they can be reliably detected. Standards for several other PFAS chemicals were set, too, and utilities must meet those levels by 2029. PFAS have had wide uses over the decades Manufactured by companies like Chemours and 3M, PFAS were incredibly useful in many applications—among them, helping clothes to withstand rain and ensuring that firefighting foam snuffed out flames. But the chemicals also accumulate in the body. As science advanced in recent years, evidence of harm at far lower levels became clearer. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has championed fossil fuels and the rollback of major clean air and water rules. His history with PFAS is more nuanced; during his time as a New York congressman, he supported legislation to regulate forever chemicals in drinking water. “It’s an issue that touches people in a very tangible way across the political spectrum, including in Lee Zeldin’s former district,” said Melanie Benesh, vice president of government affairs at the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. Zeldin has offered clues about what the EPA could do. The agency estimated the rule would cost about $1.5 billion annually and Zeldin said recently that communities struggling to afford a fix for PFAS that are just above the standard might be handled differently than wealthy places with lots of it. “What we are going to have to be is extremely thoughtful in figuring this out,” he said. On Monday, the EPA said it will establish an agency lead for PFAS, develop wastewater limits for PFAS manufacturers, and investigate sources that pose an immediate danger to drinking water, among other actions. EPA decision looms on whether to let the rule stay as it is Soon, the EPA must tell a federal appeals court in Washington whether the rule should stand or be rewritten, although weakening it could be complicated because the Safe Drinking Water Act prevents new rules from being looser than previous ones. The agency could, however, encourage exemptions and deadline extensions, according to Erik Olson, an attorney with the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council supporting the current standards in the court case. Consider Avondale, Arizona, outside of Phoenix, which produces PFAS results modestly above the limits. Officials have done detailed testing and are planning to enhance water treatment. All told, lowering PFAS may cost Avondale more than $120 million, according to Kirk Beaty, the city’s public utility director. That’s money a city like Avondale “just doesn’t have sitting in a back room somewhere,” Beaty said, adding he’ll defer to federal experts to dictate what’s acceptable. “We’re hoping we’re a little further ahead of everybody else. If the regulation changes, well you know, we may let off the gas a little bit; we may not,” he said, adding that it is hard to justify spending extra money to do more than what’s required when the cost falls on residents. If the government decides higher amounts of PFAS are acceptable, that could confuse people, especially in areas where the public is already concerned. “If we enter into a gray area over what’s healthy and what’s not healthy, then utilities are at risk of being caught up in a debate for which they have no real responsibility nor expertise to decide on,” said Karine Rougé, CEO for municipal water at Veolia North America, a water operations company. Industry group says the rule goes too far and is too costly The American Water Works Association, an industry group, filed the court challenge to the new rule. It agrees that certain PFAS should be regulated but argues the EPA’s standards go too far, underestimate costs, and are “neither feasible nor cost-effective.” There are serious consequences for residents’ water bills, it says. The burden of complying will fall heavily on small utilities that can least afford it. Many water providers already struggle to maintain their existing infrastructure, some experts say. On top of everything else, they face new requirements to replace lead pipes. The AWWA wants the EPA to extend the PFAS and lead deadlines by two years. There is money available to help. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $9 billion for chemicals like PFAS, and utilities have won multibillion-dollar settlements against PFAS polluters that help as well. Meek, who successfully recovered after surgery from cancer and is now 59, is planning to sue over his illness. He once didn’t second-guess using tap water. Now he reaches for bottled water. Donovan, who introduced Meek to PFAS and helped start Clean Cape Fear, says if the government’s standards are weakened, it will relieve pressure on utilities to effectively treat the water. Previously, “our local utilities could tell us publicly that the water met or exceeded all state and federal guidelines because there weren’t any,” she said. ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment —Michael Phillis, Associated Press View the full article

Though it started life on computers and mobile, YouTube is also among the most-used apps on TVs and gaming consoles. People use the service to watch gaming livestreams, video walkthroughs, and even YouTube Shorts on their much bigger screens—and the experience is about to get better. As part of its Q2 2025 update, Google has added a bunch of new features to YouTube for TVs, which should appear once you update the app. New features in YouTube's app for smart TVsIn keeping with its push for more YouTube Shorts everywhere, Google is now making short-form videos more prominent on TVs as well. The company has added a new row for Shorts in your "Watch Next" feed, and on the "Shorts Shelf" in the subscriptions tab. This gives Shorts greater prominence and has the added advantage of separating these videos from long-form content. Meanwhile, YouTube for TVs now lets you loop any video. This option has been added to playback settings. Previously, you could only loop playlists via the mobile app. There's also a new tab for podcasts, which lets you find and play those videos a lot quicker. Sort by "shelves"In this update, a big part of Google's focus has been to create shelves that make it easier to locate different types of videos. This includes "Continue your search," which lets you see your top three searches and find the video you were after. (This feature could also be useful to find creators you watch often, but don't want to subscribe to just yet.) Another shelf is called "From your top channels," and shows videos from the creators you watch the most. There are a couple of new shelves dedicated to music, including "Listen again," for music you frequently play, and "Live performances, remixes, and covers," that helps you find alternative versions of your favorite music. The last new shelf is called "Primetime Channels," steering you toward content from the channels you've purchased on YouTube. The video streaming service said it has also completed rolling out Immersive Channel Previews, which allow creators to add a personal touch to their channels by putting up fullscreen background previews in their channel headers. Creators will also be able to see TVs as a device type in channel analytics, allowing them to more effectively track where people are watching their videos. View the full article

Proposals set out by Rachel Reeves are part of Britain’s first attempt to write rules for digital assets View the full article

By default, Google Photos now uses Gemini AI to search through your photo library. This is thanks to a new feature called Ask Photos that rolled out late last year. While this feature is great for locating specific photos, it's not as fast as the older search option, so it's not ideal for every search, especially more general ones. If you're tired of using Gemini's slower search in Google Photos for Android, there's a shortcut that helps you return to the classic search functionality. As spotted by 9to5Google, you can long-press the search button (which is labelled Ask and is located in the bottom-right corner) to use the classic, faster and AI-free search method instead. Alternatively, you can double-tap the Ask button to do the same thing. And don't worry about having to change how your format your search—the old method also supports natural language search terms. You can ask it to show "forest photos from 2023" or similar queries, and it will still generally return accurate results. Until Google improves the speed and accuracy of AI search results, the older version of search may be better for most people. There's also the question of how much energy AI tools use, which can be alarmingly high for relatively simple tasks. Google has been experimenting with the UI for Ask Photos, as some people have spotted an updated UI that reduces the screen space dedicated to AI search. However, most people in the US are still seeing a full-screen AI search page, with a small button that lets you switch to classic search being the most noticeable way to avoid it, so being aware of the shortcut to use the AI-free search is a lifesaver. That said, there are instances where Ask Photos can still be useful, such as when you're looking at old Halloween photos and need to find one where someone is wearing a Fall Guys costume. Luckily, it's easy to choose which tool to use on a case-by-case basis. Tapping the Ask button once lets you use AI search, but long-pressing or double-tapping the button will take you to the faster, AI-free alternative. Presently, this shortcut is exclusive to the Android version of Google Photos. View the full article

United Parcel Service (UPS) said on Tuesday it will slash 20,000 jobs and close more than 70 facilities to lower costs as it braces for less Amazon shipments, due to global economic uncertainty and changing consumer habits. The package delivery company said in addition to the job cuts, it would shut at least 73 owned and leased locations this year by the end of June, perhaps more, and expects to save $3.5 billion in 2025 from the cost-cutting measures. UPS’ first-quarter revenue fell slightly to $21.5 billion, but the company still beat Wall Street earnings expectations of $21.05 billion, according to data firm LSEG, per Reuters. Shares of the company (NYSE:UPS) rose nearly 2% before the market opened on Tuesday. The stock was down less than 1% in midday trading at the time of this writing. It’s worth noting that news of UPS decreasing its Amazon shipments follows similar earnings guidance from last quarter. In January, the company announced a deal with its largest customer to lower its volume by more than 50% by the second half of 2026. (In 2024, Amazon.com accounted for 11.8% of UPS’ overall revenue, according to CNBC.) “As a trusted leader in global logistics, we will leverage our integrated network and trade expertise to assist our customers as they adapt to a changing trade environment,” UPS CEO Carol Tomé said in a statement, likely alluding to the current economic uncertainty and potential for slowing trade as a result of the The President Administration’s sweeping tariffs. “The macro environment may be uncertain, but with our actions, we will emerge as an even stronger, more nimble UPS,” Tomé added. “The actions we are taking to reconfigure our network and reduce cost across our business could not be timelier.” Like many other companies who have declined to provide a full financial forecast during recent earnings calls, due to the rapidly changing economic landscape, UPS did not provide an update to its full-year outlook on its earnings call. View the full article

Unlock the secrets of AI Overviews and realign your SEO strategy for improved visibility and relevance on Google. The post We Figured Out How AI Overviews Work [& Built A Tool To Prove It] appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

While the nation's largest housing markets in New York and Chicago enjoyed greater annual home price appreciation, home values fell 1.5% in Tampa. View the full article

Longbridge Financial's Christopher Mayer discusses the mortgage industry's opportunities in today's market and its shortcomings when serving older Americans. View the full article

When Donald The President returned to the White House in 2025, many in the tech world hoped his promises to champion artificial intelligence and cut regulation would outweigh the risks of his famously volatile trade policies. But less than 100 days into his new term, it’s clear that The President’s aggressive tariffs—and the global response to them—could pose a major threat to the AI boom that helped drive the last two years of tech innovation. AI companies are already feeling pressure on multiple fronts. They may face difficulties accessing chips and higher data center costs, and they could be hit even harder if enterprises—the main revenue source for many budding AI firms—become less willing to experiment with new AI solutions during a time of economic uncertainty. World markets tumbled on April 2 when the White House announced a 10% tariff on imports from 90 countries, plus additional “reciprocal tariffs” on 57 of them. A week later, the president paused the 10% tariffs for 90 days but kept a 145% tariff on Chinese goods in place. The President has said the China tariff would likely decrease after trade talks, but has presented little evidence that negotiations are happening at all. The tech industry, particularly hardware companies, will be significantly affected, as they’ll bear the cost of tariffs on imported components from across Asia, including China. While the The President administration reportedly exempted AI chips from tariffs, GPUs and other processors could still become more scarce and expensive. Nvidia GPUs, which power the largest AI models, are fabricated in Taiwan but incorporate components from tariffed countries such as South Korea. Additionally, many critical raw materials—rare earth metals, silicon wafers, and packaging materials originating from Taiwan and China—could be subject to tariffs as high as 30% when entering the U.S. “While tariffs aren’t causing VCs to pull back from AI investments overall, they are absolutely reshaping how investors evaluate risk,” says Samir Kumar, cofounder of the venture capital firm Touring Capital. “Investors are asking much tougher questions about supply chains—not just where companies are sourcing today, but their ability to second- and third-source critical components, and where their manufacturing is based.” That’s the supply side. But how will an unstable trade environment affect demand? Numerous sources say C-suite leaders were eager to start AI experiments during the early AI boom of 2023 and 2024. But after relatively few of those “experiments” made it into production and proved their value to the business, executives have grown far more cautious about signing new contracts with AI companies in 2025—especially with startups, says William Falcon, CEO of Lightning AI, whose cloud-based environment enables quick training and launch of AI applications. And that was before tariffs entered the picture. “So if you’re still in an experimental phase and you’ve got tariffs now, that decision kind of narrows and you’ve got to allocate those funds to something else,” Falcon tells Fast Company. “If you’ve gotten business value from AI . . . you’re more willing to invest into it, you’re more willing to carve out a bit more [budget].” On the other hand, it’s easy to forget amid the turmoil that the economy remains strong (for now), and enthusiasm around AI is still high. Kumar points out that AI has the potential to act as “a major efficiency and productivity multiplier,” which could sustain—or even boost—enterprise adoption. Thanks to these factors, many in the venture capital community had expected tech company exits to rebound in 2025, driven by AI startups getting acquired or going public. But the trade war has put those hopes on hold. No one really knows how disruptive the tariffs will be. Investors hope it’ll be a “blip” that vanishes as quickly as it arrived, allowing the AI boom to continue as scheduled. But even if the tariffs were lifted tomorrow, their effects could linger; as with the COVID-era disruptions, supply chains would likely need time to recover. On the demand side, corporations—the buyers of AI software and services—may become more conservative with their tech spending. Corporate IT budgets will increasingly reflect broader economic sentiment. Right now, things are looking gloomier: Reuters surveyed 167 economists, and 60% said the likelihood of a global recession this year was “high” or “very high.” Before his election, The President positioned himself as a champion of the AI industry, promising to shield it from unnecessary regulation. But his reckless trade policies are poised to harm the AI space more than any regulation could. Ironically, The President’s tariffs might actually create more demand for AI and robotics in the long term. The President believes his tariffs will make it so expensive to manufacture or assemble products overseas that companies will bring factories back to the U.S. But those reshored factories may not offer the kinds of jobs The President promised his base. “We should also expect tariffs to accelerate AI and robotics adoption, as companies look for ways to manage costs when reshoring or expanding into higher labor cost markets,” Kumar says. View the full article

The President’s unreliable America is throwing away the assets it needsView the full article

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) has announced the launch of the Catalyzing Regional Dairy Workforce Grant program, aimed at expanding workforce development programming across the Northeast dairy sector. Applications for this grant opportunity will be open from April 24 through June 5, 2025. The program offers funding to support the development, expansion, and operation of existing dairy workforce programs. Eligible projects may include federally registered apprenticeships, state registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, internships, or other workforce training initiatives. According to NE-DBIC, funded projects must focus on enhancing program operations, expanding services, and providing participant support. The initiative seeks to address one or more key areas: expansion of current programming, addition of new programs, or support for participant costs. Expansion efforts may include increasing the number of participants, broadening geographic reach, offering new certifications, or fulfilling requirements to achieve federal Registered Apprenticeship status. Programs may also add new initiatives to create additional participation pathways for underserved audiences. Participant support efforts aim to offset trainee costs to drive higher participation and stronger engagement from both trainees and businesses. Additional activities such as program marketing, educational platform development, multi-state or multi-business collaboration, and engagement with subject matter experts that directly support the project may be included. Grants will range from $20,000 to $100,000, with a total of up to $800,000 available. No matching funds are required for this program. NE-DBIC emphasized that this grant program is not scheduled to be offered again. Eligibility for the Catalyzing Regional Dairy Workforce Grant is open to applicants across the Northeast region, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Applicants based outside the region may apply if they currently provide services within the Northeast. Eligible applicants must be organizations or businesses that currently provide dairy workforce programming or serve Northeast participants. These include universities, colleges, technical career centers, manufacturing training centers, registered apprenticeships, internships, non-profit entities, and producer or trade associations that promote dairy products originating from the Northeast. However, associations receiving more than 50% of their funding from producer check-off dollars are not eligible. Licensed dairy processors that transform raw milk, dairy components, or dairy mix into edible products for human consumption are also eligible if they are licensed to sell products across state lines and source or produce milk within the Northeast. Farm-based workforce programs qualify if offered through eligible applicant categories. The grant is not intended to support individual dairy businesses. Interested applicants must register in WebGrants, a process that can take up to two business days, and are encouraged to review the full Request for Applications (RFA) and available applicant resources. Applications must be submitted through WebGrants by 2 p.m. on June 5, 2025. Applicants are also advised to secure a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through SAM.gov during the application period to facilitate a timely start to their grant, if awarded. For questions, applicants can contact Laura Ginsburg at Laura.Ginsburg@vermont.gov. Image: Canva This article, "New Grant Program Launched to Boost Northeast Dairy Workforce Development" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) has announced the launch of the Catalyzing Regional Dairy Workforce Grant program, aimed at expanding workforce development programming across the Northeast dairy sector. Applications for this grant opportunity will be open from April 24 through June 5, 2025. The program offers funding to support the development, expansion, and operation of existing dairy workforce programs. Eligible projects may include federally registered apprenticeships, state registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, internships, or other workforce training initiatives. According to NE-DBIC, funded projects must focus on enhancing program operations, expanding services, and providing participant support. The initiative seeks to address one or more key areas: expansion of current programming, addition of new programs, or support for participant costs. Expansion efforts may include increasing the number of participants, broadening geographic reach, offering new certifications, or fulfilling requirements to achieve federal Registered Apprenticeship status. Programs may also add new initiatives to create additional participation pathways for underserved audiences. Participant support efforts aim to offset trainee costs to drive higher participation and stronger engagement from both trainees and businesses. Additional activities such as program marketing, educational platform development, multi-state or multi-business collaboration, and engagement with subject matter experts that directly support the project may be included. Grants will range from $20,000 to $100,000, with a total of up to $800,000 available. No matching funds are required for this program. NE-DBIC emphasized that this grant program is not scheduled to be offered again. Eligibility for the Catalyzing Regional Dairy Workforce Grant is open to applicants across the Northeast region, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Applicants based outside the region may apply if they currently provide services within the Northeast. Eligible applicants must be organizations or businesses that currently provide dairy workforce programming or serve Northeast participants. These include universities, colleges, technical career centers, manufacturing training centers, registered apprenticeships, internships, non-profit entities, and producer or trade associations that promote dairy products originating from the Northeast. However, associations receiving more than 50% of their funding from producer check-off dollars are not eligible. Licensed dairy processors that transform raw milk, dairy components, or dairy mix into edible products for human consumption are also eligible if they are licensed to sell products across state lines and source or produce milk within the Northeast. Farm-based workforce programs qualify if offered through eligible applicant categories. The grant is not intended to support individual dairy businesses. Interested applicants must register in WebGrants, a process that can take up to two business days, and are encouraged to review the full Request for Applications (RFA) and available applicant resources. Applications must be submitted through WebGrants by 2 p.m. on June 5, 2025. Applicants are also advised to secure a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through SAM.gov during the application period to facilitate a timely start to their grant, if awarded. For questions, applicants can contact Laura Ginsburg at Laura.Ginsburg@vermont.gov. Image: Canva This article, "New Grant Program Launched to Boost Northeast Dairy Workforce Development" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Amazon and the White House are not getting along at the moment. A report from Punchbowl News claims that Amazon had plans to disclose how tariffs are raising the price of products across the site. It seems that when you clicked on a product, you would not only see the current cost, but also the northward effect The President's tariffs had on that price tag. The move directly contradicts the notion, oft-repeated by the administration, that the costs of tariffs are paid by the countries the tariffs are levied against. Amazon showing a tariff-related price increase would make it plain as day to consumers that they are, in fact, the ones making up the difference. The White House was not pleased when news of this plan became public. In fact, the White House was furious. During a Tuesday morning press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lambasted Amazon solely based on Punchbowl's reporting, callin the proposition a "hostile and political act" by the company. She wondered why Amazon didn't do the same with, in her view, price increases due to the Biden administration's impact on inflation. Leavitt also asserted, “This is another reason why Americans should buy American.” The plan was only to affect Amazon Haul, not the main Amazon siteAs it turns out, Punchbowl's sources didn't have the whole story—that, or the story changed in the wake of the White House's ire. According to Jeff Stein, chief economics reporter for The Washington Post, an Amazon spokesperson is now saying that the company never planned for the tariff price label to be included on the company's main site; rather, Amazon Haul had considered listing import price duties on some products. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Amazon Haul is the "ultra-low cost" section of Amazon's marketplace. Rather than display all of the products the company sells, Amazon Haul solely focuses on products that are $20 or less. (Amazon says that most products are actually $10 or less.) If Amazon is really only considering these tariffs labels on Amazon Haul products, that would suggest a far smaller scope for the rollout than Punchbowl or the White House made the situation out to be. The The President administration likely would reject any assertion that consumers were paying more for products due to tariffs, but Amazon Haul is pretty tucked away, and is currently in beta. (I had personally never heard of the service until this report.) Of course, it isn't clear if this was the plan all along, or if Amazon is doing damage control. The company might be trying to placate the White House without claiming that Punchbowl misreported the entire story by shifting the blame to a niche section of its marketplace—but all the while had been considering including this tariff transparency on the main site. It's all speculation, and we'll need to see how the company responds going forward. How would these tariff labels work?Punchbowl's report said that Amazon will, "display how much of an item’s cost is derived from tariffs—right next to the product’s total listed price." That would be the simplest way to go about it: You could see the total cost of the product, the amount that price went up due to tariffs, and then do the calculation yourself to determine what that product would have cost had the The President administration not imposed these tariffs in the first place. You can see why the White House is unhappy. How to track tariff-related price increases You don't need to wait for Amazon to add these labels to see any effects from tariffs, however. If you use a price tracking tool, you'll be able to track how prices have fluctuated over time on the site. The tool won't be able to confirm for you without doubt that a price increase was due to tariffs, but if something unexpectedly jumps in price this spring with no other clear explanation, it won't be much of a leap to believe tariffs had something to do with it. View the full article

As global temperatures rise and there’s a seemingly endless series of climate disasters, it’s natural to look to technology as a solution. From carbon capture (where emissions aren’t released into the atmosphere but buried in the ground) to geo-engineering (where particles are sprayed into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight and lower temperatures), green innovations are frequently touted as the way to resolve our continued reliance on fossil fuels. But in our eagerness for silver bullets, we may be susceptible to optimism bias, focusing too much on potential benefits while ignoring many of the negative effects or drawbacks. A 2022 essay in Nature argues that many of these technologies are often overhyped and don’t include the significant associated challenges, costs, and unintended consequences. For instance, discussions of EVs and their required batteries usually don’t address the harmful extraction of necessary minerals like silicon, lithium, and cobalt. A less flashy type of climate innovation that can have real impact now doesn’t hype technical fixes and instead focuses on rethinking a company’s operations, including its use of materials and redesign of supply chains. Sustainability must start with product design Studies have shown that 70%–80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined during the design phase, something I’ve also heard from many of the companies I’ve researched over the last two decades. For instance, Riccardo Bellini, former CEO of luxury fashion house Chloé, told me that an analysis of the company’s full environmental footprint in 2020 revealed that 80% of the company’s sustainability challenges could be “solved at the design table”—specifically that 58% of Chloé’s emissions stemmed from raw materials like cotton, leather, and virgin cashmere. Understanding this led the company to prioritize lower-impact materials like linen and hemp in new collections, and increase its use of recycled materials, particularly cashmere. And for leather products, Chloé began sourcing through a supplier that had third party certifications ensuring that their tanning and manufacturing processes followed strict environmental standards. But Chloé has remained cautious about vegan leathers, because while it’s an area of tech-focused innovation, many leather substitutes are derived from fossil fuel-intensive sources​. Bellini told me the company committed that by 2025, 90% of its fabrics would be “lower impact,” a goal it’s on track to meet, as 85% of its products were made with these materials in 2024. Many of the companies I have researched and written about, from injection molding company Cascade Engineering to waste-management platform Rubicon, have similarly shown that initiatives focused on rethinking inputs and supply chains result not only in positive environmental effects but also significant monetary savings. Going beyond “do less harm” Seventh Generation’s former CEO Joey Bergstein also emphasized to me that another reason why sustainability must start with product redesign is that it can allow companies to avoid some emissions in the first place. This approach contrasts with corporate environmental work that begins after the product is produced, so at most can only focus on doing less harm. Thus, at Seventh Generation, the company’s research and development team aims to rethink products from the ground up, for example exploring new formats or delivery methods that can avoid the use of plastic, a material that’s made from fossil fuels and is hard to recycle. A key initiative at the company is reducing water usage in its products, which has important carbon emissions benefits as it cuts shipping weight and the need for plastic packaging. For instance, Bergstein told me Seventh Generation has active research efforts to create effective waterless products—such as in powder or tablet forms that are packaged in easily recycled materials like cardboard or steel—for laundry, dish cleaning, counter cleaning, and handwashing. In 2020, one example of this work moved from the lab to the market when the company introduced a line of cleaning products packaged in steel canisters that avoid using plastic altogether. Seventh Generation is not alone in this approach of prioritizing avoidance of plastic in product development. Leaders at Grove Collaborative told me how they reformulated shampoo products to be a bar (so could be packaged in cardboard) as opposed to a liqud, and footwear and apparel company Allbirds created a new material for shoe soles made from natural sources. Toward a more holistic view of sustainability What these examples show is that while it is easy to fall under the spell of sexy green innovations, our sustainability challenges in fact require hard work beyond superficial tweaks or isolated innovations. Instead of merely striving to “do less harm,” to the environment, which results in incremental changes, companies must take holistic views of their products—starting with design. They must recognize that true impact lies not just in isolated efficiencies or technological innovations but in reimagining supply chains, production, and business models to contribute positively to the planet and society. View the full article

Two experts chime in. By Martin Bissett Passport to Partnership Go PRO for members-only access to more Martin Bissett. View the full article

Two experts chime in. By Martin Bissett Passport to Partnership Go PRO for members-only access to more Martin Bissett. View the full article

Clunky workflows slowing you down? Workflow software can help smooth them out and get your projects back on track. Look for these 10 key features to boost productivity, automate tasks, and keep your projects moving. The post 10 Must-Have Workflow Management Software Features appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Prior to September 2024, any Apple user interested in active noise-canceling (ANC) AirPods would've had to shell out $250 for the AirPods Pro. With the release of the ANC AirPods 4, the tech is much more affordable—and you can currently grab a pair of these $179 earbuds for $148.99. Meanwhile, Amazon is also selling Apple's more budget-friendly version of the AirPods 4 without ANC for $99.99, down from $129. Both of these prices mark record lows, according to price-tracking tools. While the discounts aren't mind-blowing, the fact we're seeing any price reductions on the latest AirPods makes them a good deal, relatively speaking—especially outside of the typical Prime Day/Black Friday sales window. Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, Personalized Spatial Audio, Sweat and Water Resistant, USB-C Apple AirPods 4 (Without ANC) $99.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $129.00 Save $29.01 Get Deal Get Deal $99.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $129.00 Save $29.01 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, with Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Transparency Apple AirPods 4 (With ANC) $148.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.00 Save $30.01 Get Deal Get Deal $148.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.00 Save $30.01 SEE -1 MORE The AirPods 4 have updated USB-C charging. Both models are powered by Apple's H2 chip, so you'll get Personalized Spatial Audio (so you can hear sounds seemingly coming from different directions as you move your head) and the ability to use head gestures to tell Siri "yes" or "no" (this also works for answering or denying calls). It's also likely Apple will add a live translation feature to both models when iOS 19 rolls out later this year. If you spring for the ANC AirPods 4, you'll get a charging case with a built-in speaker, which you can use with Find My to locate it if you lose them. You'll also get features like Conversation Awareness, which lowers your music volume when your AirPods detect that you're talking to someone; Transparency Mode, which lets you better hear your surroundings while your earbuds are in; and Adaptive Audio (combines ANC and Transparency mode to adjust ANC levels based on the noise around you). Keep in mind that since these are open-style earbuds, lacking a silicone tip to better block out noise, the ANC will not be as good as what you can get from AirPods Pro or Beats Fit Pro. Both versions are rated IP54 for dust and water resistance, offer up to five hours of listening per charge (up to 30 hours with the charging case), and can handle automatic switching with your other Apple devices. You can read more about the non-ANC AirPods in PCMag's "excellent" review, and more about the ANC AirPods in PCMag's "outstanding" review. View the full article

Spat comes after report alleged the tech giant was planning to display price increases caused by The President’s tariffsView the full article

The REIT and its home finance unit are seeking expanded opportunities in servicing and originations as market unpredictability has a mixed impact on its investments. View the full article

You shouldn’t have to cross your fingers and hope for a strong stock market to coincide with your short-term goals. And right now, you probably wouldn’t want to. Because you’re working within a short time frame—think two to six years—investing for shorter-term goals like buying a house or paying for a wedding should look different from the portfolio you build for retirement. But don’t stop putting away money for your long-term goals while you’re working toward your short-term ones. So, how do you balance saving for both? How to think about funding short-term and long-term goals Don’t forgo saving for the long term to meet your short-term goals. Thanks to the power of compounding over time, saving early can have a large impact on your long-term outcomes. The longer the time frame, the greater the potential impact. You should put retirement front and center, especially as you approach your midcareer. Earlier in your career, you might shift your savings somewhat to shorter-term goals, but retirement should still be part of the equation. At least, take advantage of any retirement match that your employer might offer. To some extent, what you’re saving for can tip the balance as well. You might direct more of your savings away from retirement if you’re saving for a house than if you’re saving for a vacation. Account types that work for short-term investing It’s helpful to separate your short-term portfolio from your retirement portfolio, but there are some accounts that you can use to multitask. Depending on your situation, you might use a tax-deferred account, like a Roth IRA, or a taxable brokerage account. Traditional IRAs are less appealing for short-term investing because there are tax penalties when you withdraw from the account before age 59 and a half. Unlike traditional IRAs, Roth IRA contributions can be withdrawn at any time and for any reason without taxes or penalties. That makes a Roth IRA a perfect “multitasking” account for younger investors who need to build up both an emergency fund and retirement assets. Roth IRAs also allow you to withdraw up to $10,000 of earnings (in addition to any contributions) to help pay for a down payment on a first home if the account has been open for at least five years. Finding the right investments to meet near-term goals Unlike a long-term portfolio, which has a timeline of 10-plus years, the main goal of a short-term portfolio should be to outpace inflation while protecting what you’ve saved. Maximizing portfolio growth is less of a priority because the added risk likely isn’t worth the reward. Being able to buy a home in three years feels very different from affording it in seven because your investments lost value in the interim. Common mistakes that investors make are either in taking on too much risk or not enough. Some investors might assume that because stocks have beaten other asset classes over long time periods, they’re also a good choice for the short term—but they aren’t. Other investors might stick with guaranteed products, like CDs or money market accounts, because they’re concerned about protecting their savings. This approach leaves them at a disadvantage because inflation will eat into the value of those savings. Holding cash-type investments is a good idea if your timeline is super short—less than two years. Short-term investment portfolio examples Explore model portfolios that show what reasonable short-term portfolios look like. The portfolios consist of cash and shorter-term bonds. You might include a dash of stocks for growth potential, but the bulk of your money for short-term goals should be in safer, lower-returning assets. This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. For more personal finance content, go to https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance Margaret Giles is a senior editor of content development at Morningstar. —Margaret Giles, Morningstar View the full article