By Karl Plume CHICAGO U.S. corn export dominance is fading in an increasingly competitive global marketplace as Brazil,

The official trailer for Netflix's live-action One Piece series is here, giving fans a better

Apollo Global Management Inc. and its Venetian Las Vegas were sued over accusations that they profited from a

Gerber has announced the winner of its 13th annual Gerber Baby photo contest. On Wednesday (12 July), Madison “Maddie” Mendoza from Colorado was named “spokesbaby” for the American baby food company. Since 1928, the long-standing family brand has been known for its iconic “Gerber Baby” logo. At 10 months old, Maddie enjoys her baby music classes, swimming lessons, and hiking with her parents. Included in her photo submission was a throwback photo of Maddie’s mother, Crystal Mendoza, who bears a striking resemblance to her daughter, floppy ponytail and all. According to Gerber, Maddie is a “rainbow baby” – the name for a child born after a miscarriage, stillbirth, or loss of an infant. “Being a rainbow baby, Maddie has brought us immeasurable joy with every milestone, snuggle, and moment spent with her enriching our lives and making every day more meaningful and beautiful,” said Crystal. “We look forward to witnessing her grow into a kind, compassionate, strong, independent and worldly individual as we hope to be stationed overseas again to teach Maddie about all the different parts of the world.” The baby food company also shared Maddie’s inspiring background, both of her parents being from first-generation families from the Philippines. Crystal, Maddie’s mom, and her father, Jun, were high school sweethearts and have been together for 22 years. Her dad, who graduated from the US Air Force Academy, currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel physician in the Air Force. While Jun has been serving the Air Force for 16 years, both of Maddie’s grandfathers also served in the US Navy after coming to America with very little. Her parents hope that their family legacy of “resilience and love” continues on with Maddie. “Gerber has always believed in the magic of babies, and Maddie’s story, filled with love, resilience, and adventure, embodies the spirit of generations of Gerber babies,” said Tarun Malkani, Gerber President and CEO, in a statement. “The throwback submission of Maddie and her mom brought a smile to the judges’ faces and perfectly captured the spirit of this year’s program. We’re excited to partner with Maddie and her family throughout the next year to highlight the full-circle journey from baby to parent.” As winner of the 2023 Gerber Baby photo contest, Maddie will be featured on Gerber’s social media channels and marketing campaigns throughout the year. Additionally, Maddie and her family received a $25,000 cash prize, a year’s worth of free Gerber baby food, and a new wardrobe provided by Gerber Childrenswear. According to ABC News, the family was also gifted an ezpz First Foods Set, a $500 Gerber Childrenswear gift card, a Mommy & Me luggage set from Beis Travel, and a Canon EOS R50 camera and lens kit. The company also matched Maddie’s cash prize with a $25,000 donation to charitable organisation March of Dimes, which is committed to ending preventable maternal and infant health risks and death. Read More Man says he was uninvited from pregnant sister’s wedding after criticising ‘ridiculous’ baby names British toddler has American accent after watching Ms Rachel videos: ‘Payback for Peppa Pig’ Pregnant woman sparks debate after repeatedly asking stranger to give her a seat

Save 37%: As of June 20, the ChomChom pet hair remover is $11.96 off at

Our top picks BEST GOOGLE PIXEL 7A DEAL Google Pixel 7a (128 GB) (opens in

TL;DR: The Language Learner Lifetime Subscription Bundle is on sale for £40.86, saving you 94%

Allergies. Asthma. Dry skin. Of course it’s just the weather outside, right? Nope. Dry air

The term ‘soft life’ is trending on TikTok, with the #softlifeera tag clocking 12.2million views. While not brand new, it seems a growing number of social media users are leaning towards the lifestyle concept – but what does soft life actually mean and how can it benefit people? Where does the trend come from? As the wording suggests, soft life is all about veering away from stress and struggle and embracing a more easy and enriched life. But this isn’t just about life looking ‘perfect’ on social media. “Soft life isn’t new, however I’m really grateful to see its resurgence,” said Chlöe Pierre, founder of wellness platform thy.self and author of Take Care: The Black Women’s Guide To Wellness. “Essentially to me, especially as a black woman, soft life is about making choices that can avoid me having to live a much longer, and unsustainable, life in hardship. For me it’s about wellness in general, and sustainable wellness. “My only concern when seeing trends [on social media] is that they are inclusive, and generally they aren’t. First and foremost, soft life is a choice – and it’s a privilege to be able to make that choice,” Pierre added. “Originally, the soft life kind of movement had origins in places like Nigeria and other places around the continent, but was popularised via America and a lot of African American women, [who were often] fictional characters on TV. Because there weren’t, especially not in the UK, reachable or visible representations of black women and women of colour that had amassed a wealth, and therefore the privilege of living a ‘soft life’.”Permission to live a soft life For Dr Evelyn Okpanachi, author of The Emotionally Empowered Woman, it makes sense people are increasingly leaning towards the trend. “Collectively, we are still tired. We have had the Covid era, austerity and more, and we simply want to live and breathe a little. This is why we are leaning towards it more right now. Collectively, we are breathing a sigh of relief,” said Okpanachi. “Most people associate the soft life with booking last-minute flights, mojitos on the beach, dining at nice restaurants and all of the externalities. It is in part, but it a lot deeper than that. “Soft life is living life on your terms. Creating a career you want, the business you want, and looking after yourself holistically. This starts with empowering yourself to succeed by elevating your mindset and knowing you deserve to live a soft life.” Nothing comes easy Okpanachi noted the work that can be involved, however. “In order to enter the soft life era, the average person tends to go through an element of stress. Nothing comes easy,” she explained. “It is essentially about purposely creating a lifestyle with minimal stress and setting boundaries – boundary setting is key. It’s embracing the things that serve you and letting go/eliminating the things that don’t. We all deserve to live a soft life, and we all should. But we have to put the work in to attain it.” This is something social media can often miss out. As Pierre noted, influencers or celebrities may “show you one side of their life – you don’t get to see the struggle they have had to get to that point, or to maintain that lifestyle they have in front of the camera”. Making space for a softer lifeFor many, the dilemma is making these things a reality when work takes up so much energy, along with caring/parenting duties, health challenges and everything else. Pierre discusses in her book about how our identities can be “very wrapped up” in work, which can make it so much more draining – especially for black women who have faced “more hardship in the workplace, compared to other demographics”. Setting “clear expectations and intentions” for yourself can be helpful, she added, and getting to know yourself better. “So making clear expectations about who I am, what I will accept, and what I want – and having the belief that I don’t have to go through too much hardship, that it’s not a benchmark for who I am,” Pierre explained. “This can even be applied to dating.” Ditch the guilt Donna Noble, yoga teacher and author of Teaching Body Positive Yoga: A Guide To Inclusivity, Language And Props, also believes making things intentional is key for how people can embrace the soft life in their everyday routines. “[People] can prioritise their me-time and be intentional about it – for instance, meditating, journaling or doing yoga as soon as they get up (before the rest of the world invades their space), as this will set you up nicely for the rest of the day,” said Noble. “I believe rest and self-care are part of our birth-right – no feeling guilty for just being and not doing. Normalise taking the pause, and that it can be the most powerful thing we do in our day.” For those who struggle to put themselves first, Noble suggested taking time to work on giving yourself permission. “The key here is a shift in perspective and empowerment – you’ve got to discover the precious gem that is your wellbeing. Society’s old scripts may try to hold us back, but rewriting the narrative is where the magic happens,” she said. “Giving ourselves a permission slip to prioritise self-care isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity. It’s about understanding that nurturing ourselves isn’t selfish; it’s the foundation for health and wellbeing.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Kim Kardashian teased as the face of a major fashion brand Shoppers make seven big impulse buys per year on average – survey Even 4,000 steps a day could ‘reduce risk of death’ – study

Achieving a bronze glow that looks natural is no easy feat. Sure, there are illuminating serums, dewy oils and highlighters which offer a glass-like shine. But many will have you looking like an Oscar award, while others are so bright, they give Ross from Friends after a spray-tan.

TL;DR: As of September 29, you can get lifetime access to the OneAir Elite Plan

Delta Air Lines Inc.’s profit is soaring as a rebound in international travel promises to keep planes packed