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Friday, April 3, 2026

Olympic gold medalist boxer at center of gender controversy advances to Asian semifinals

April 03, 2026
Olympic gold medalist boxer at center of gender controversy advances to Asian semifinals

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Olympic gold medalist Lin Yu-ting won her quarterfinal bout at the Asian boxing championships on Friday in her first event since World Boxing said she passed agene testto confirm her gender.

Associated Press

Taiwan's first Olympic boxing championbeat Thananya Somnuekof Thailand 5-0 in the first round in the 60-kilogram lightweight division earlier this week.

She backed that up Friday with another 5-0 win over Ayaka Taguchi of Japan, the top-seeded woman in the division. Lin won every round on all five judges' scorecards, securing a perfect score of 10 in each round.

The 30-year-old Lin had not competed internationally since winning the women's 57-kg featherweight title at the Paris Olympics in August 2024.

World Boxing took over as the sport's Olympic-level governing body last year, and itimplemented a sex eligibility policyin August requiring all fighters to take a one-time genetic test designed to identify the presence of a Y chromosome.

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World Boxing didn't confirm Lin's eligibility until March 19.

It was not clear whether Lin will have to undergo further gene testing if she wants to compete again at the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee announced last weeknew rulesbanning transgender athletes and a mandatory gene test once in an athlete's career.

Lin andImane Khelifof Algeriawon gold medals at Parisamid international scrutiny and misconceptions over both boxers' sex. While both met the eligibility rules followed at the time by the IOC, which ran the Paris tournament, the two fighters' success sparked a politically charged debate over those standards.

Lin is expected to fight in the Asian tournament semifinals on Monday.

AP boxing:https://apnews.com/boxing

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UNC coaching search looms over Final Four — ask Kansas how that goes

April 03, 2026
UNC coaching search looms over Final Four — ask Kansas how that goes

North Carolinaneeded a basketball coach, and it set its sights on one in the Final Four.

USA TODAY Sports

Its top target had a good job. A darn good one, and one newspaper columnist felt adamant Roy Williams wouldn't leaveKansas, even if his alma mater tried to call him home to Carolina. Williams already turned down UNC once before, a few years previously.

No way Roy's going to Carolina.

So read the headline ofJoe Posnanski's columnin the Kansas City Star on April 2, 2003. Two weeks later, Posnanski wrote another column about how he got it all wrong. He trusted a coach to have loyalty. Whoops, rookie mistake.

If we've learned one thing in the more than two decades since then, it's to never say never when it comes to these situations, and that a coach's loyalty is the underdog when matched up against his ego.

Now here we are at anotherFinal Four, and UNC's hiring, and it's déjà vu, with stay-or-go questionshovering over the coaches of the two favored teams in Indianapolis.

<p style=Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kansas Jayhawks cheerleaders perform before a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the St. John's Red Storm at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, Calif. <p style=Nebraska's Berke Buyuktuncel celebrates with fans following a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on March 21, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Arkansas Razorbacks cheerleaders in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> VCU Rams fans react after a 3-pointer by Terrence Hill Jr. #6 of the VCU Rams in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC. Howard Bison cheerleaders perform during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Keybank Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY. BYU Cougars cheerleader in the second half against the Texas Longhorns during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore. Former North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams is seen in the crowd against the VCU Rams in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Mar 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC. Texas A&M Aggies cheerleaders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City. Texas Longhorns band in the first half against the BYU Cougars during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland. St. John's Red Storm mascot Johnny Thunder mixes with players prior to taking the court during practice day ahead of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. <p style=A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The High Point Panthers fans cheer during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or. The High Point Panthers cheerleaders react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or. The North Dakota State Bison mascot and cheerleaders pose for a photo before the game against the Michigan State Spartans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY Nebraska Cornhuskers fans cheer after defeating the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City. The Wisconsin Badgers mascot performs during a time out during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland. A view of Buddy the Street Dog as Queens University of Charlotte Royals guard Yoav Berman talks to the media during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on March 19, 2026. The High Point Panthers band performs prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or. High Point Panthers fans cheer prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or. The Wisconsin Badgers cheerleaders preform during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or. The South Florida Bulls mascot performs during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY. The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleaders perform in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC. The Troy Trojans mascot dances on the floor during the second half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City. The UCF Knights band performs during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 19, 2026 in Philadelphia. Nebraska Cornhuskers cheerleaders perform during the second half against the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City. A Wisconsin Badgers cheerleader performs during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or. The Ohio State Buckeyes cheerleaders perform in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC. Akron Zips fans in the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla. Texas Tech Red Raiders cheerleaders in the first half against the Akron Zips during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla. Santa Clara Broncos fans react to game play against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 20, 2026 in St. Louis, MO. Akron Zips cheerleaders and mascot in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla. Wright State Raiders fans celebrate after a Wright State Raiders guard TJ Burch (22) scores during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA. Hofstra Pride cheerleaders in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla. Garth Noble of the Louisville pep band is amped at the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky. March 21, 2026. Michigan head coach Dusty May high-fives players after 95-72 win over Saint Louis at the NCAA Tournament Second Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday, March 21, 2026. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish band and spirit squad cheer during the first round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament against the Fairfield Stags at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center in Columbus on March 21, 2026.

See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities

Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournamentat Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.

Tommy Lloyd fuels speculation about UNC job

This time, nobody's writing there's "no way"Tommy Lloyd would leave Arizona for UNC. That doesn't mean Lloyd will definitely bolt, but even he's not saying he won't. Lloyd himself fed into speculation he's a prime option for UNC when he said, "Arizona's going to have another good coach after me, I promise you." And, when will Arizona need to hire its next coach? Will that be next week? Next year? Ten years from now?

No telling. At least, Lloyd's not telling, other than to say he's "present in the moment" and that neither he nor his players are distracted by UNC speculation.

He's probably right about his players, anyway.

Arizona's Brayden Burries, Koa Peat and Motiejus Krivas are projected first-round NBA Draft picks. Wildcats point guard Jaden Bradley is a senior. They're out the door after this Final Four, regardless of Lloyd's decision. A fifth starter, Ivan Kharchenkov, might return for another college season, but thanks to the transfer portal, he could follow his coach if Lloyd decided to leave. No stress. No fuss. No distraction.

Twenty-three years ago, KU star Wayne Simien expressed open frustration when Williams jilted the Jayhawks for North Carolina. Now, athletes better understand it's not personal, it's just business, because players field interest from other high-paying suitors, too, and face business decisions of their own.

Is Dusty May more of a 'Michigan man' than Bill Frieder?

While we're on the subject of déjà vu, here's Michigan with a team that can win it all, but willcoach Dusty Mayprove himself a "Michigan man" or a renegade?

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If UNC would like to have Lloyd, then it shouldloveto have May. He's now a veteran of Final Fours, having led Florida Atlantic there in 2023.

Toppmeyer:Dusty May so good, you almost forget Sherrone Moore — now, UNC needs him

Perhaps, Michigan can breathe slightly easier than Arizona's administration, because at least May isn't talking about how great Michigan's next coach is going to be.

Even if May wouldn't leave Michigan for UNC, the Tar Heels could cause a domino effect that results in May leaving Michigan. Just as the Wolverines lost John Beilein to the Cleveland Cavaliers, May has the goods of a future NBA coach. Andif UNC hires Billy Donovan, well, then the Chicago Bulls will need a coach, won't they?

Michigan knows what it's like for a coach to spurn it. When Bill Frieder accepted the Arizona State job ahead of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, Bo Schembechler promptly booted Frieder and promoted Steve Fisher, explaining his decision with the now-famous line that, "A Michigan man is going to coach Michigan."

The lesson Frieder provided: If you're leaving for another job, maybe don't tell anyone until the NCAA Tournament is finished.

Worked out great for Michigan. Fisher led the Wolverines to a national championship.

Never mind a Michigan man. The Wolverines would do well to keep their Indiana man. May got his start as a student manager under Bob Knight, but Frieder proved a coach's alma mater doesn't mean everything to everyone, even if Mama lured Williams home in 2003.

"I was a Tar Heel born. When I die, I'll be a Tar Heel dead," Williams said after he took the UNC job.

In between, he became a turncoat at Kansas.

We learned then that when North Carolina wants to hire a Final Four coach, it's naïve to think, "no way."

Blake Toppmeyeris a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him atBToppmeyer@gannett.comand follow him on X@btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tommy Lloyd, Dusty May would be great for UNC — if they pull a Roy Williams

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NBA MVP rankings: How does Luka Doncic injury shake up race?

April 03, 2026
NBA MVP rankings: How does Luka Doncic injury shake up race?

This race, unexpectedly, has become a lot closer.

USA TODAY Sports

Although it feels like a two-man battle at this point, with no team having more than six games left in the 2025-26 NBA regular season, these players are quickly running out of chances to elevate their arguments for Most Valuable Player.

Thursday, April 2 was an interesting night, too, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of theOklahoma City Thunderand Luka Dončić of theLos Angeles Lakersfacing off, while phenom big Victor Wembanyama'sSan Antonio Spursplayed the Los Angeles Clippers.

Here's this week'sUSA TODAY Sports NBA MVP rankings:

USA TODAY Sports NBA MVP rankings

5.Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

He has simply not let up. He dropped 43 in a rout Wednesday, April 1 against the Heat and has scored at least 29 points in his last seven games, and is averaging 33.6 over that stretch. More importantly, he has been the biggest reason for theCelticsto be a real threat in the East, despite missing Jayson Tatum (Achilles rehab) for most of the season. Brown has led Boston to a decently comfortable hold on the No. 2 seed in the East, and, even though Tatum is returning to form, Brown is looking poised to have a massive postseason.

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4.Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

He has notched triple-doubles in five of his last six games, as the Nuggets are peaking at the right time. Denver has won seven consecutive games and 10 of its last 12, and Jokić has been as consistent and dependable as always. He leads the NBA in rebounding (13.0) and is the only player averaging a triple-double (adding 27.7 points and 10.8 assists). He's having a monster season, so it's kind of absurd to rank him fourth. It's just a testament to the players above him on this list, and the seasons they are having.

3.Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers

In 17 games in March, Dončić scored 600 points, becoming just the 10th player in NBA history to put down that output in any single month. The Lakers, crucially, went 15-2 over that stretch and have been impressive, with recent victories over the Timberwolves, Nuggets, Rockets (twice) and Cavaliers. Thursday's blowout loss against the Thunder was a letdown, as Dončić struggled from deep, going just 1-of-7 from 3-point range. But the bigger problem wasa left hamstring injurythat sidelined him and may jeopardize his eligibility for individual awards. Thursday night was his 64th game, leaving him one shy of the minimum.

2.Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

This has actually gotten really close. Wembanyama missed Thursday night's game against the Clippers with a right ankle injury management designation, but his play as of late has closed the lead the top player on this list has held for much of the back half of the regular season. No player impacts the game on both sides more than Wembanyama, who has dropped 41 points in each of his last two games. As if that wasn't enough, he swatted away 3 shots in each and collected 10 rebounds Monday, March 30 in a win over the Bulls and hauled in 18 Wednesday against the Warriors. San Antonio has won the last 15 games that Wembanyama has played in.

1.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

He remains the most consistent force in the NBA and Thursday's beatdown of the Lakers was proof of how dangerous he can be. Gilgeous-Alexander had scored a smooth 21 points by halftime, as Oklahoma City had opened a massive, 31-point lead on the Lakers. Before that, SGA dopped 47 points in an overtime victory against the Pistons, and he has extended hisconsecutive 20-point streakto a ridiculous 137 games. Still, he'll need to close strong because Wembanyama is making a late charge.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NBA MVP rankings after Luka Doncic injury

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Trump's budget proposes 10% cut in discretionary spending, increased defense spending

April 03, 2026
Trump's budget proposes 10% cut in discretionary spending, increased defense spending

By Bo Erickson

Reuters

WASHINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday requested a ‌10% cut in non-defense, discretionary spending for ‌the 2027 fiscal year, and an increase to defense spending ​by $500 billion, according to a White House budget document.

The president's proposed budget changes need to be approved by the U.S. Congress, which requires bipartisan ‌support, and the ⁠spending requests are often treated by lawmakers as suggestions.

But the 2027 budget requests ⁠reflect the administration's political priorities ahead of the 2026 midterm elections in November, when Trump's Republicans hope ​to maintain ​their small majorities in ​both the U.S. Senate ‌and U.S. House of Representatives.

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"Savings are achieved by reducing or eliminating woke, weaponized, and wasteful programs, and by returning state and local responsibilities to their respective governments," the White House said ‌in a budget fact sheet.

Some ​proposed cuts follow the Trump ​administration's pursuit against "green ​energy" spending, as well as eliminating ‌nearly 30 Justice Department programs ​that they ​deem "duplicative" or "weaponized" against the American people.

At the same time, the fiscal year 2027 budget requests ​a 13% ‌increase to "maximize" the Justice Department's "capacity to bring ​violent criminals to justice."

(Reporting by Bo Erickson; ​editing by Michelle Nichols)

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President Trump's approval on the economy hits new low in CNN poll

April 03, 2026
President Trump's approval on the economy hits new low in CNN poll

PresidentDonald Trumpreceived his worst approval on the economy across both his presidencies in a new poll byCNN/SSRS released April 1.

USA TODAY

The poll found 31% of Americans approve of how Trump is handling the economy, compared to 39% in January 2026. The decline in approval on the issue is even higher among Republicans, especially Republicans under 45 years old, according to CNN.

The poll, conducted March 26-30 among 1,201 U.S. adults, found 35% approve of Trump's job performance overall. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

How does that compare to Trump'soverall approval rating? What else did thepoll show about voters' viewson the economy? Here is what to know:

'Outrageous':Sky-high gas prices are changing the way Americans live

A rainbow is seen above the White House in Washington, DC on April 1, 2026. US President Donald Trump will deliver a prime-time address on April 1, 2026 on the Iran war in the face of plunging approval ratings, economic jitters and spiralling diplomatic fallout.

President Trump speaks to the nation on Iran from the White House

CNN poll shows gas prices after Iran frustrating Americans

The new CNN poll comes as gas prices in the U.S. have surpassed$4 per gallonon average, according to AAA. Before theU.S. and Israel struck Iran, low gas prices were a talking point for the Trump administration facingnegative public opinionon the economy overall.

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CNN reported that their poll found about two-thirds of Americans say Trump's policies have worsened economic conditions and 27% say they approve of Trump's handling of inflation.

CNN also reported 63% of Americans say the prices at the pump have caused financial hardship in their household, including 15% calling it "severe."

One poll respondent told CNN and the pollster about the most important issue facing the country: "Prices! Everything is so expensive. Makes it very difficult to do anything other than work and go home. Trips to the grocery store are ridiculous! Between gas and grocery prices, we are poor!"

Trump addressed the concerns about gas prices in his address to the nation on April 1, saying the Strait of Hormuz would reopen when the conflict was over and theprices would fall again.

What is Trump's average approval rating?

Here is a look at some polling aggregators to understand how CNN/SSRS's poll compares to the average Trump approval numbers as of April 2:

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. Follow her onX (Twitter),Threads,BlueskyandTikTok.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Donald Trump's approval rating on the economy hits new low per CNN

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