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Four Iranians out of five arrested on suspicion of terrorism in the UK

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CNN

British counterterrorism police have arrested five men, including four Iranian citizens, on suspicion of planning terrorism laws, a statement from London metropolitan police said on Sunday.

The investigation is linked to a suspected conspiracy to target a specific location, adding that the man was arrested during the attack at many addresses across the country on Saturday.

“This is a rapidly moving investigation and we are working closely with people on the affected sites to update them,” said Commander Dominik Murphy, head of the Met’s counterterrorism command.

Met police have not stated which sites are targets for suspected attacks. The man said he was arrested in the southern regions of Manchester and London, as well as in the south town of Swindon.

“The investigation is still in its early stages and is exploring various survey lines to establish potential motivations, as well as identifying whether there is any additional risk to the public associated with this issue,” Murphy said.

According to a police statement, the four men are Iranian nationals between the ages of 29 and 46 and are detained under British terrorist law. The nationality of the fifth man whose age is not offered is still established, and Met’s statement said he was instead in custody under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

All five remained in police custody.

“We understand that the public may be worried, and as always, I ask them to stay vigilant, whether they see or hear about anything related to them, and to contact us,” Murphy said.

Additional details of suspect arrest:

  • A 29-year-old man arrested in the Swindon area

  • A 46-year-old man arrested in West London

  • A 29-year-old man arrested in the Stockport area

  • A 40-year-old man arrested in the Rochdale area

  • Man arrested in the Manchester area (certified age)

This is a developing story and will be updated.



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Six ways to plunge retirement savings into a recession

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The stock market has fallen nearly 10% from an all-time high, based on the S&P 500 returns through the end of April. A recession may be on the verge of imminent situation.

Sometimes you sit down and praise the balance in your retirement account. This wasn’t one of those days.

If you are approaching retirement or are already there, you may be looking for a way to fill your savings. You may also wonder how to avoid using them when they are already decreasing.

Take your heart: There are ways to build savings in a depressed financial market and how to avoid pulling them down.

Here are six tips from experts:

Make the most of your tax savings

If you’re not bound by cash, make sure you have as much as possible with your taxable account, including 401(k), IRA, and HSA.

The 401(k) already has a high contribution limit of $23,500 in 2025. If you’re nearing retirement, consider pushing your savings to the greatest possible extent.

Over 50 Americans can save more by “catch-up contributions,” pushing the annual 401(k) limit to $31,000. In the age range of 60-63 years, a small subset of savers earns an even higher catch-up limit of 34,750 thanks to the safe 2.0 method.

“People may not recognize the importance of contributing to catch up,” says Maria Bruno, senior financial planning strategist at Vanguard.

The contribution limit for an individual retirement account is $7,000 or $8,000 for those over the age of 50.

Elderly workers may not be able to see points where they can maximize their retirement savings near retirement because they don’t have much time to grow.

However, keep in mind that savings will not stop growing when you retire. If you retire at 65 and live until age 85, these savings will continue to earn interest for another 20 years.

According to Bruno, think of savings as an investment that grows “through retirement” rather than just a “retirement.”

Health savings accounts are another potential tool for building retirement savings. The annual limit is $8,550 for families in 2025, and people over the age of 55 can donate an additional $1,000. You can save money that you won’t spend.

“Ideally, I would consider it a retirement account,” Bruno said.

Automate retirement contributions

For long-term retirement savers, a depressed market writes about the opportunity to buy stocks at discounts.

Automating the contributions of retirement is a good way to continue purchasing through the recession. “We’re committed to working with people who are looking for a way to help us,” said Michelle Krammu, a certified financial planner in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If your contribution is not automatic, you may miss out on buying stocks with cheap ones.

“When the market drops, too many people freeze,” Crumm said.

Postponing your retirement

If you are on the eve of retirement, perhaps the last thing in your mind is to work for another year or two.

However, postponing retirement can be a powerful tool for building retirement savings, even in a year or two.

A Stanford University survey found that delaying retirement by just three to six months has the same impact as increasing the contribution rate of 401(k) points for a full 30-year period.

Let’s say you postpone your retirement for a year. That year, you could make the most of your retirement savings and potentially add tens of thousands of dollars to your account. And you won’t cut down your savings. This means that when you leave, they will last longer.

“It allows for continuous income. You’ll earn savings from that income while delaying withdrawal of your portfolio,” Bruno said.

Staying in the workforce is particularly appealing in the down market. That means there’s no need to raid your retirement savings while its value is declining.

The downside of working longer is that you don’t have much time to enjoy retirement later.

As a compromise, consider working part-time.

Collinday, a certified financial planner in St. Louis, said: And part-time schedules “give you more flexibility to do what you enjoy.”

Accumulate cash savings

As your retirement date approaches, you are likely to have to tap on savings to live expenses immediately. Ideally, you should have some of these savings in cash.

According to retirement experts, the wise goal is to accumulate costs to live in at least a year’s worth of cash or cash equivalent accounts, such as high-yield savings or money market funds.

“These dollars will be the first to drain you to generate a new retirement salary,” said Heather Winston, Head of Product Strategy, an individual solution for Principal Financial Group.

Cash is particularly important in a recession, so you can avoid selling down investments.

Transition from spending to savings

One reliable way to pad your retirement savings is to shift your focus from spending to savings.

“We are pleased to announce that we are committed to providing a range of financial plans for our customers,” said NIV Persaud, certified financial planner in Atlanta. “If an adult child needs to pay his or her cell phone bill, not a required fee, pay for the essential fees. Shift the money spent on essential items for retirement savings.”

And look for other ways to reduce your costs, Crumm said.

“Small adjustments today — refinancing, downsizing subscriptions, and paying off high-profit debt can reduce the income you need to retire,” she said. “This means that we will be able to withdraw from investments during the downmarket and allow more time for our portfolios to recover.”

Consider delaying social security

Think of this tip as protection against future recessions.

Waiting for Social Security to request a larger monthly check. Your profits increase in value every year, from age 62 to 70.

“If we can use other assets to fill the gap, delaying Social Security can serve as a form of life insurance and provide a more guaranteed income,” Crumm says.

Large checks can be particularly useful “if portfolio growth is temporarily stagnant.”



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Sovereignty won the 151st Kentucky Derby

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CNN

The Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby’s 151st run on Saturday at the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.

The 2025 edition of the longest and most continuous major sporting events in the United States featured all the dignity and pageantry that have been the hallmark of “Run of the Roses.”

After the slate in the spare race, American gymnast Simone Biles, an 11-time Olympic medalist, gave the “rider” appeal to the jockeys for the paddock.

After some time, Buggler sounded a call to the Post, and the horse began to enter the famous Churchill Downs Racecourse as the University of Louisville Marching Band and Choir performed “My Old Kentucky House.”

After a massive amount of rain fell earlier in the day, the 19 horses were taken to a muddy truck in front of a crowd of 147,406 under cool, cloudy conditions.

When the starting gate opened, it set the pace early with Citizen Bull and Neo Ecos taking the lead, but found the final frontline was congested towards the rear of the puck.

Citizen Bull and Neo Ecos were joined by American Promise and East Avenue as their leaders ran four backstretches.

The horse runs one turn.
Alvarado gets on sovereignty and wins.
Alvarado has posed over the sovereignty of the winner circle after winning the 151st run of the Kentucky Derby.

As the horses run around the final turn, journalism and sovereignty began to impose their will on the remaining field. The two horses ran their necks and necks as they handed the remaining packs on the outside.

The pair reached the final 16th of a mile running from nose to nose before sovereignty began to advance, finishing half a length of pre-race favorite journalism.

Meanwhile, Baeza followed the two leaders and pushed forward, surged to a third-place finish with the neck just behind journalism.

Trained by Bill Mott and riding by Venezuelan jockey junior Alvarado, the 3-year-old sovereignty took part in the race as one of his favourites to win at 9-1 odds.

The first winner of the Derby, Alvarado gave all his credit to sovereignty.

“He, sovereignty, I took me on the wire the whole time,” Alvarado told NBC Broadcasting after the race. “It meant the world for me and my family. I thought there was a great opportunity… I was confident all week.

Mott thanked the Churchill Downs vibe and said that after winning his second career derby victory, “it takes time for him to sink.”

“This got me there the right way,” Mott said. “He did well. He’s a great horse. He comes from a great organization and I couldn’t say enough about the horse and organization that started him and did everything to make this happen.”

Bob Buffato, a six-time Kentucky Derby winner, returned to Churchill Downs on Saturday after a three-year absence.

Until last year, the Hall of Fame was banned from running horses in the first leg of the Triple Crown after a failed drug test for the horse Medina Spirit in 2021.

However, after his two horses were unable to win, he was not as successful as he had hoped.

Citizen Bull finished 15th, but Rodriguez had to withdraw earlier this week due to a wounded leg.

The next leg of the horse racing triple crown will take place in two weeks at the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, Maryland, with the final race at the Belmont Stakes on June 7th. The Belmont Stakes are being held in Saratoga Springs, New York for the second year in a row, thanks to the ongoing construction of a typical venue for the Belmont Park race in Elmont, New York.

This story has been updated with additional details.

Jacob Lev of CNN contributed to this report.



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A 4-year-old girl and man died after a driver crashed the SUV into Manila Airport, the Red Cross says

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CNN

The Philippine Red Cross said a four-year-old girl and a man were killed after the driver crashed an SUV into the entrance to Manila International Airport on Sunday.

The driver crashed the car through an outer railing, then crashed into a corridor where people were standing outside the departure area of ​​Terminal 1 at Ninoiaquino International Airport, the Philippine Red Cross said in a statement.

“The incident tragically led to two casualties, a male adult and a four-year-old girl,” he said.

The driver is in police custody and the individual is being treated for the injury, the airport operator said in a statement but did not specify how many people were injured.

Currently there are no indications that the police clash is intentional.

CNN contacted police in Pasay, the area of ​​the Philippines’ capital, where the airport is located, for comment.

The Philippine Red Cross said it had deployed 18 volunteers and five ambulances to respond to the crash, including rescue vehicles for “potential escape operations.”

A video shared on social media by the Philippine government news agency showed confusion at the airport, with a black SUV crashing into the terminal entrance. People could be heard screaming and crying on the video. It appeared to indicate several people injured on the ground and baggage scattered around, as the first responders were present at the scene.

“At this point we are waiting for an official confirmation regarding the cause of the incident and the report of the injury,” a statement from the airport operator said.

“We understand the concerns this incident has caused, especially as images are being circulated on social media,” the statement said.

“We urge the public not to speculate and wait for a verified update, which will be issued as soon as it becomes available.”



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25 US cities with $100,000 salary still not cut

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In one of four large American cities, the family has managed to score six numbers and still feels broken.

This is the key point from an analysis by Lendingtree, a personal finance website that measures monthly costs across the 100 largest metropolitan areas.

In 25 of these 100 cities, average monthly expenses on base costs exceed the monthly income of a family of three making $100,000, the report found. San Jose tops the list, with an average monthly fee of $10,540.

Matt Schultz, chief consumer finance analyst at Lendingtree, said: “The fact that even before we consider paying debts, we can create figures of six and break in many of our biggest cities is definitely awkward. Unfortunately, the problem can get worse.”

To calculate the cost of a typical family of three, LendingTree considered the average cost and lent out a two-bedroom apartment, monthly childcare costs, car ownership costs, other transportation costs, health insurance, food, entertainment and utilities, state and federal taxes, payroll taxes, and 401(k) contributions.

This report shows the limits of six figure revenue. This is a salary that exceeds the national average and provides a comfortable lifestyle in at least some areas. The median household income was $80,610 in 2023.

Earnings of $100,000 means your monthly salary of $8,333. LendingTree subtracted monthly expenses for each city from that figure to see what was left. It is often a negative number.

This is some of the most affordable cities

This is a sampling of cities with monthly expenses over $100,000 in revenue.

  • San Francisco: Total monthly expenses $10,137, net interest income – $1,804
  • Boston: Monthly cost, $9,946. Net monthly income, -$1,613
  • Honolulu: Monthly cost: $9,824. Net monthly income, -$1,491
  • Washington, DC: Monthly cost, $9,767. Net monthly income, -$1,434
  • Seattle: Monthly cost: $9,376. Net monthly income, -$1,043
  • New York: Monthly Cost: $9,077. Net Monthly Income, – $744
  • Denver: Monthly cost: $8,963. Net Monthly Income, – $630
  • Baltimore: Monthly cost: $8,842. Net Monthly Income, – $509
  • Portland, Oregon: Monthly cost, $8,789. Net monthly income, -$456
  • Minneapolis: Monthly cost, $8,650. Net Monthly Income, – $317
  • Hartford, Connecticut: Monthly cost, $8,423. Net Monthly Income, – $90

. . . And here are some of the most affordable cities

The report also identified 75 major cities with annual costs below $100,000 a year.

Here are cities where households earning $100,000 are relatively affordable.

  • Cleveland leaves net monthly income of $1,393 monthly total expenses
  • Louisville, Kentucky: Net monthly income, $1,281
  • Memphis, Tennessee: Net monthly income, $1,272
  • New Orleans: Net Monthly Revenue, $1,216
  • Cincinnati: Net Monthly Revenue, $1,207
  • Milwaukee: Net Monthly Revenue, $1,028
  • Pittsburgh: Net Monthly Revenue, $1,025
  • Indianapolis: Net monthly income, $922
  • Detroit: Net Monthly Revenue, $885
  • Houston: Monthly net income, $883
  • Las Vegas: Monthly net income, $835
  • Nashville, Tennessee: Net monthly income, $751

The Lendingtree analysis did not take into account debt payments, such as student loans, credit cards, etc.

“If we did that, the number of metros with six-figure earners still broken would be much larger,” the report said.



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Trump’s first 100 days retreated civil rights protections, activists say

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President Donald Trump’s first 100-day appointment sparked concerns that he has repeatedly committed to civil rights protections for decades.

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WASHINGTON – In the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term, his administration has eliminated diversity initiatives across federal agencies, rolled back provisions in the Civil Rights Act, and fired some staff working on civil rights issues.

Some activists and civil rights experts said the administration has done more to revoke decades of civil rights activities than any other president in recent memory.

“The pace of clarification… civil rights protection is different from what I saw in my life,” said Fatima Goss Graves, president of the National Center for Women’s Law. “It reminds us that we have to fight over and over again for these important protections.”

Trump and some conservative scholars have redirected the Federal Department of Justice priorities and argued that it was past time to oppose what they call the “awakening” agenda.

“They haven’t unraveled decades of civil rights work,” said Hans von Spakowsky, a senior law fellow at the Conservative Heritage Foundation. “What they’re doing is putting priorities on enforcement issues that have been completely ignored by previous administrations.”

There are over 200 lawsuits challenging Trump’s executive orders and other changes. The group also launched a boycott of businesses that have retreated from the diversity initiative.

But even if those efforts were successful, Trump’s actions have already caused significant damage, activists said. Penn’s stroke led the administration to move to dismantle the law aimed at protecting people from discrimination in schools, workplaces and polls. Activists said that if they are not challenged, they could set up a civil rights movement decades ago.

“It was a Full Florit attack, and the people on its left are shaking. It shook people. It made people out deeply angry, deeply upset, and deeply upset to see their rights go away from them.” “People feel more and more in their own country.”

“The law protects everyone.”

Trump has signed several executive orders related to civil rights. This includes the early stages of his administration, eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the federal government. Another requested that federal agencies recognize only two genders: male and female.

More recently, Trump signed an order repeal or amending the provisions of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, saying that his change “proves equal opportunity, not equal outcomes.”

Additionally, the administration has shut down the Civil Rights Office at some federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, and fired civil rights and DEI workers. It also suspended several civil rights lawsuits in the education sector.

Some conservatives said it was especially about their time at the Department of Justice.

Government agencies need to file discrimination lawsuits regardless of groups that include those protecting white people, von Spakowsky said.. However, it did not pursue these cases sufficiently, he accused.

“If you look at all the laws implemented by the Civil Rights Division, whether it’s the Voting Rights Act or the Civil Rights Act, the law is racially neutral,” said Von Spakovsky, who worked for the agency for four years. “When they first passed, almost all of their cases involved discrimination against Black Americans, Hispanics and Asians, but the law protects everyone.”

He also praised the president’s executive order. It was intended to address what was called “illegal liability for different influences” under the Civil Rights Act by “restoring equality of opportunity and meritocracy.”

The law requires that policies or actions be changed, even if it is not the intention, if there is a “different impact” that leads to discrimination among a particular group.. The administration argues that this different shocking responsibility violates the Constitution, federal civil rights laws and “fundamental American ideals” because businesses need to consider race to avoid “criminalizing legal liability.”

According to Von Spakovsky, using different influences is not an effective way to prove discrimination.

“What I believe they are doing is for them to return to the original intent and original purpose of those laws and then Congress enforce them in a way that they intend to be enforced,” he said.

“Steroids Project 2025”

Trump’s agenda on civil rights follows the playbook for Project 2025, a conservative plan to overhaul the federal government, including abolition agencies such as the education sector, civil rights activists said. As a candidate, Trump repeatedly distanced himself from the Project 2025 Agenda.

Mark Morial, president of the National Urban League, a civil rights group, called Trump’s executive order “Project on Steroids 2025.”

“It’s courageous, discouraging and very tragic for the people,” he said. “It’s an attack on the future.”

Rev. Al Sharpton, chairman of the National Action Network, described Trump’s first 100 days as “a move in Project 2025.”

“It’s a clear attack on many marches and bleeding civil rights, and in some cases, when you die, don’t treat them like reform,” Sharpton said in a statement.

South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, a former Democrat and history teacher, said it wasn’t the first time the president or Congress has tried to roll back civil rights protections.

He focused on the backlash after the reconstruction. This was politically involved only in the face of nearly a century of racial violence after the civil war in which newly liberated people were politically involved. “Things in this country have never moved on a linear plane,” Clyburn said.

Goth Graves said Trump’s agenda was clear, including his attack on the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

“They aren’t just looking for diversity and inclusion programs,” she said. “They don’t want some limited ideas. They’re not happy from the Civil Rights Act, where the 60-year-old compact is destroyed. We fight for it with every breath.”

Full-scale attack on ‘ all Our democratic system

For civil rights veterans, seeing what they see as a dismantling of the civil rights law they fought was disappointing and infuriating. It spurred efforts to train the next generation of organizers to step up.

“My focus is trying to figure out how to organize black communities and other communities,” Courtland Cox, a veteran of the Student Nonviolence Coordination Committee, told USA Today.

Cox said no one should be surprised by Trump’s actions because he has long known what he intends. “I really don’t care what he thinks,” he said. “What I care about is that he’s not in power.”

SNCC veteran Judy Richardson said Trump’s move will go far beyond just rolling civil rights interests. It was an attack on all Americans, she said.

“It’s important that we, organized in the civil rights movement in the 1960s, do not view this as merely a ‘another rodeo’ or ‘we’ve experienced this before,'” Richardson said. “What Trump and his followers really build is really attacking. all Our democratic institutions and the rule of law we know recently. ”

“If you don’t understand that what we’re dealing with now is far more dangerous Anything We fought during the civil rights movement, but we won’t be able to properly mount counter attacks,” she said.



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USA Today has launched a backstory.

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Message from the editor

As an editor at USA Today, there’s nothing more rewarding than hearing people who connect with our journalism.

Launched by Al Neuharth in 1982, USA Today rolled the press with creative, colorful designs that broke the molds of old legacy newspapers. Neuharth was determined about his reader-friendly approach. He was known to be overwhelmed by even deadlines, as editors insist on rewriting headlines if they were too bland.

You reach the point. Don’t waste your time on your readers. Don’t be afraid to use elements of drama, humor and surprise to tell the story what matters most to your readers. Neuharth was convinced that Ethos would promote the success of the country’s newspapers.

I couldn’t agree any more.

Every day, we aim to build deep connections with our readers, audiences and listeners. That’s why we’re excited to announce that we’re launching a newsletter and column with subscribers starting May 4th.

We would like to showcase our best work and present talented journalists. I am honored with their expertise and commitment. When you learn more about them, I think you will too.

Our stories are fascinating and focused on people. We talk to you, not you. We are dedicated to journalism. It’s a mission to let you know to help you live your best life. With sports and entertainment news, we capture moments and events that bring joy (and sometimes heartache) to you.

We are dedicated to accountability journalism. Tight fact-checking and unbiased journalism is at the heart of what we do.

We know you are bombarded with content every day. If our stories don’t tell you – if they’re not persuasive – you won’t make time for them. You should do that too.

So reader feedback means a lot to me. It examines the importance of what we are doing.

One example was the reaction to the deep diving that senior journalists Rick Gervis and Marco Della Cava had on the last day of legendary actor Jean Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa. The beloved couple in the Santa Fe, New Mexico community was found dead at their home on February 26th. It hit the community and Hackman fans, and the cause of the couple’s death was a mystery until authorities first discovered that Arakawa died of the virus and Hackman died a few days later.

Rick and Marco took their audience to the close Santa Fe community and painted a vivid picture of how the couple touched their neighbors’ lives. Our package included beautifully written stories and videos.

Rick and Marco’s headlines were fascinating: tough guys, everyone. Gene Hackman pursued anonymity and a private artist life at Santa Fe. The story was riveted from the first paragraph.

One reader wrote:

Rick,

A quick note to thank Gene Hackman and his wife for their great reporting and writing about their last days. Journalism teachers should use this as an example of how to perform Tiktok. I enjoyed it.

Another reader wrote:

I can’t say how much I enjoyed this article. What are the incredible genes of people? Thank you for writing this with Marco Della Cava.

We will share more reader feedback over the coming weeks. We explain to you our approach to crafting and the rigour of doing it. And in the spirit of conversation, I always welcome your feedback. Thank you for reading.

I will be a subscriber today to support USA Today and our journalists. Thank you for those who have already subscribed. You can always sign up to receive your backstory here.



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An estimated crowd of 2.1 million people at a free ladies’ concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio

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CNN

More than 2 million fans are said to have attended the sea of ​​people who buried Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday as pop superstar Lady Gaga performed a massive concert in a Brazilian city.

Guests began queuing early on Saturday mornings, ensuring a good spot for shows paid by local governments. Organizers said it was estimated that around 2.1 million revelations were among the crowd.

One fan, Lucas, told CNN he believes the concert attracted a larger audience than Madonna’s audience on the world-famous beach a year ago.

On Saturday, May 3, 2025, the fireworks go out after a Lady Gaga concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“I feel like the city is more crowded this time, but I’m very excited,” the filmmaker said.

Many fans who the star calls her “Little Monster” were wearing Gaga-themed costumes and referring to major hits such as “Poker Face,” “Born This Way,” and “Bad Romance.”

Lady Gaga’s trip to Brazil is part of a global tour to promote her new album, Mayhem. The 39-year-old genre hopping singer and actor was in Mexico City last week. There she performed two concerts.

Lady Gaga will perform at a concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

On the eve of the Rio concert, the pop star surprised Copacabana beach fans by taking the stage for a rehearsal.

“I missed you,” she said during her first performance in Brazil since 2012.

Fans cheer on watching Lady Gaga perform at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

While walking towards the stage on Saturday night, Argentine tourist Abril spoke to CNN affiliate CNN Brazil about the big moment.

“The truth is that the energy here in Copacabana is incredible,” Abril said. “Rio is incredible and always serves you in parties and magical moments.”



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Hospital bombing kills 7 amid fears South Sudan is returning to civil war

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CNN

At least seven people were killed and 20 injured in an attack on South Sudan’s hospitals and markets on Saturday, medical charities said fears are growing that the country can return to civil war.

A borderless doctor, also known as Mé de cinnatis Sans Frontières (MSF), condemned an early morning attack on an old Whangak hospital in the state of Jonglei, located in the northeastern part of the country.

MSF said the helicopter gunship dropped a bomb at the pharmacy and fired it in town for 30 minutes.

The pharmacy burned to the ground, all medical supplies were lost in the attack, destroying the last remaining hospitals in the area. According to MSF, nearby private markets were also bombed by drones.

“The attack has significantly violated our ability to provide life-saving care at Old Whangak, the only hospital serving more than 110,000 people in the area,” MSF said.

It is not immediately clear why the hospital was targeted or who became who, but it is not immediately clear that the country is afraid it will return to civil war amid growing tensions between South Sudan’s President Salva Kier and Vice President Leek Machar.

MSF called on all parties for the conflict to respect and protect civilians and humanitarian infrastructure, adding that Saturday’s fatal attack was the second attack on the facility, which has been less than a month later. On April 14, an armed man looted MSF hospital in Uran, Upper Nile, and blocked access to secondary health care for thousands of people, the charity said.

Whangak County commissioner Beer Bootross Beer said in an audio message aired on local television that the government forces (South Sudan National Defense Force (SSPDF)) carried out attacks on hospitals and markets, expelling more than 30,000 civilians.

Whangak County is ethnically noore and has traditionally been associated with opposition parties loyal to Vice President Macher.

“The government is using natural resources to kill its people for its own identity,” Beal said it refers to a recent government directive labeling nine counties, including Whangak, as “hostile.” He condemned violence and urged the global community to act.

CNN contacted the South Sudan government for comment.

A day before the attack, embassies in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the UK and the US, alongside the EU, warned of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in South Sudan, demanding that President Kiel release Vice President Machar from house arrest.

“All political parties must end their use of violence as a political tool,” the state said in a joint statement.

South Sudan split from the rest of Sudan in 2011 after decades of independence, but has since struggled to maintain peace on its territory.

It is divided along the ethnic line between the majority of Dinkas from which Kiel came from, and the Nua ethnic group in Machar, the second largest in the country.

After Kiir deleted Macher as Vice President, he entered the civil war in 2013, and the five years of conflict that followed killed an estimated 400,000 people before both parties reached a fragile ceasefire and a power-sharing agreement in 2018.

Countries that have never held national elections are now governed by a coalition led by President Kiel and five vice presidents.

After Machar was arrested in March, SPLM/A-IO issued a statement that his detention “effectively destroys the (peace) agreement (between him and Kiel).

According to a 2025 UN Refugee Agency report, the situation in South Sudan is one of Africa’s most severe refugee crisis, with 2.3 million refugees and asylum seekers in neighboring countries, and another 2 million South Sudan has been evacuated internally by conflict or natural disasters in their own country.



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Dates, Themes, Watch Methods, Celebrity Hosts

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Three words will the aesthetics of Met Gala this year? Pure black excellence.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual fashion museum is back. This time, the event pays homage to Debonair’s talent and evolution of black menswear for centuries.

Celebrity participants and their high fashion ateliers will be tasked with rethinking the black “dandies” for their gala outfits. The term, defined as “someone who is overly devoted to style,” was associated with black men as the trends emerged in cleverly dressed servant staff emerged in black men in 18th century.

“Dandism provided black people with the opportunity to use clothing, gestures, sarcasm and wit to imagine new ways to change the identities given and embody political and social possibilities,” a previous release from Met.

This is the biggest night saltorial 411 of fashion.

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Met Gala 2024: Zendaya’s costume change, Usher explains his appearance

The star appeared at the 2024 Met Gala. Anika Reed from USA Today had front row seats in the action and chatted with Asher about his appearance.

When is Met Gala 2025?

The 2025 Met Gala, held on the first Monday of May, will be held on May 5th.

Who is hosting Met Gala 2025?

Co-chairs of the 2025 Met Gala are singer-songwriter and fashion designer Pharrell Williams, Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo, Grammy-nominated rapper A$AP Rocky and British race car driver Lewis Hamilton.

Meanwhile, NBA superstar LeBron James is co-chair of honor, while Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour recreates her co-chair role.

In addition to the co-chair, the host committee was also announced.

Star-studded groups include Usher, Regina King, Spike Lee, Simone Biles, husbands Jonathan Owens, Janelle Monae, Dokii and Ayo Edebili.

What is the Met Gala?

The benefits of the Costume Institute, commonly known as the Met Gala, is a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, the museum, which hosts a collection of over 33,000 fashion artifacts. The Met raised about $26 million in 2024, according to the New York Times and the Associated Press.

What is the theme for Met Gala 2025?

This theme coincides with the spring exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The Institute describes it as “300 years of black-style cultural and historical examination through the concept of dandyism.”

Inspired by Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book Fashion for Slave: Styling the Identity of Black Dandism and Black Diasporics, the exhibition theme explores the multicultural blend of African and European styles conveying black identity during the Atlantic diaspora.

“Dandism may seem frivolous, but it often brings challenges and transcends to social and cultural hierarchies,” Miller said on a Vogue-by-Vogue basis in a statement on February 4th. “We ask questions about identity, expression, and mobility in relation to race, class, gender, sexuality and power.”

What is the dress code for Met Gala 2025?

In connection with the Costume Institute’s “Super Fine” exhibit, the evening dress code is “tailored for you.”

According to Vogue, the code pays homage to the menswear focus on the exhibit, “deliberately designed to provide guidance and invite creative interpretations.”

Where to see the Met Gala 2025 Red Carpet

For those who want to check out the intense fashion in real time, the official Met Gala Livestream will be broadcast across Vogue’s digital platform, including the magazine’s official YouTube channel.

TV Network and Pop Culture Hub E! It will also air a 3.5-hour red carpet special, kicking off at ET/PT at 6pm. It will be co-hosted by Zanna Roberts Rassi, Maria Taylor, Elaine Welteroth, Yvonne Orji and fashion designer Christian Siriano.

Another livestream special airing from 6:30pm to 8pm ET is E! Available on social media platforms. Online and streaming service Peacock.

What is the 2025 Met Costume Institute exhibition?

The exhibition will be open to the public from May 10th to October 26th, following the official Met website.

Sponsored by Louis Vuitton, the Fashion Expo interprets the spirit of Dandism’s style through a carefully selected collection of clothing and accessories, painting, photography and decorative arts, from the 18th century to today.

Additionally, Superfine: Tailing Black Style is organized into 12 sections that represent traits that embody the dandy aesthetic, such as “champion, respect, heritage, beauty, and cosmopolitanism.”

Children: Ciasaisad, Aasad of AAS



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Israel plans to summon thousands of reserves and expand Gaza attack amid stagnating hostage talks

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CNN

Israeli Defense Forces said on Saturday it would mobilize thousands of reserves in what appears to be a growing attack in Gaza.

The move, coming amidst a deadlock at the ceasefire meeting, follows reports on Friday that IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir submitted plans to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz to intensify pressure on Palestinian extremist group Hamas.

Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 reported that Zamir’s plans include evacuating Palestinian civilians from northern Gaza and central Gaza ahead of the expansion in those regions, reflecting the tactics used earlier this year in Rafa, southern Gaza.

Citing the unnamed official, Kan 11 said Netanyahu’s security cabinet is expected to approve the plan on Sunday.

The news sparked concern among the 59 hostage families still held by Hamas in Gaza.

Described as an “urgent and heartfelt” charm, the Hostage and Missing Family Forum headquarters warned on Saturday that “escalation of the battle will put both hostages and deceased immediately in danger.”

“The majority of Israeli people view hostage return as a top priority in the country,” he added.

Negotiations to ensure the release of the remaining hostages have been suspended for several weeks.

The Egyptian-Qatar-mediated lectures have repeatedly collapsed. Hamas has called for a permanent ceasefire and a full withdrawal of Israel, but Israel accused Hamas of rejecting a “reasonable offer.”

On Thursday, Netanyahu explicitly stated that defeating Israeli enemies was more important than ensuring the release of remaining hostages, in a statement that sparked backlash from family representatives. Previously he had said he had defeated Hamas and secured the release of hostages as the main target for Israeli war in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Office announced on Saturday that it will reschedule Netanyahu’s visit to Azerbaijan from May 7-11 at a later date.

Citing “a intense diplomacy and security schedule,” he said the change has followed “the development of Gaza and Syria.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.



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Protesters gather for the African American Museum and Black History

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WASHINGTON – Hundreds of people joined the rally on May 3, showing support for the Museum of African American History and Culture in the wake of threats from the Trump administration and civil rights activists who aimed to erase black history.

Organizers have planned the rally after President Donald Trump wanted to cut “a tale depicting American and Western values ​​as inherently harmful and oppressive” in a recent executive order.

The #Handsoffourhistory rally began on the city hall stairs before the crowd marched three blocks into the National Mall museum. Speakers, including faith leaders, civil rights activists, and black female student life and fraternity members, urged the crowd to oppose efforts to limit black history and threat teaching to institutions that demonstrate that history.

“We will not be erased,” said Melanie Campbell, president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Engagement, a civic engagement organization. “This is an attack on our very existence.”

Organizers were spurred last month following Trump’s order to restore the truth and sanity of American history. Among them, Trump has picked out several Smithsonian Society museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture. He said the Smithsonian was “under the influence of divisive, racially ideologies.”

“We will return the Smithsonian facility to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness,” reads Order.

The speaker also vowed at rally to fight to preserve black history, which banned many on black experiences, including states such as Florida that restricted black history teaching and banned several books.

At the rally, protesters held the signs saying, “I should be taught history, not erased,” and saying, “I’m blacking my history.”

When protesters marched into a museum called Blackson, they recited “Let go of our history.”

Nicole Williams of Greenbelt, Maryland, said it was important for her to take part in the march.

“If we don’t know our history, we are destined to repeat it,” Williams walked to the museum.

Williams, who previously represented her sorority Delta Sigmatheta as a speaker, said the threat to Black museums and institutions was real.

“This administration withholds left and right funds on anything that relates to black, indigenous and Latino people,” she said. We are not going to take this quietly. ”

Renee Smith of Upper Marlborough, Maryland said she and others must push to celebrate the rich history and contributions of African Americans.

“We’re in a crisis too,” she said. “I don’t want it to be lost to future generations.”

Organizers said they are planning a series of actions, including a social media campaign. “It’s not just a moment,” said Calsona Wise Whitehead, president of the Association for Researching African American Life and History. “It’s exercise.”



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What you need to know about Warren Buffett, CEO of Exit Berkshire Hathaway

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According to Forbes, “Omaha Orcle” Warren Buffett has an estimated net worth of over $160 billion, but lives in a house he bought in 1958 for $31,500.

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As billionaire Warren Buffett resigned from his role as chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of 2025, he waives control of the company he’s led for 60 years.

Buffett, 94, made the announcement at Berkshire’s annual general meeting on May 3, adding that he would hand over the reins to Vice President Greg Abel.

“I think it’s time for Greg to become the company’s chief executive at the end of the year,” Buffett said at a meeting on Saturday. He said that although he is not part of the holding company’s day-to-day operations, Buffett said he had a “zero” intention to sell Berkshire stocks.

After announcing the announcement, he told CNBC’s Becky Quick that he “will still be in the office every day.”

Buffett began buying Berkshire stocks in 1962. This led to a majority stake, according to CNBC’s billionaire biography, and ultimately gaining control of the former textile company.

The announcement was a surprise, but even for Abel, who said that Buffett had no prior knowledge of his plans, the businessmen and investors pointed out that his children were aware of his decision.

Following the news that Buffett will be leaving soon, there’s something you need to know about Buffett.

Who is Warren Buffett?

According to CNBC BIO, an estimated real-time net worth of over $160 billion (known as the “Omaha Oracle” as the “Omaha Oracle” called “Oracle of Oracra” as the “Oracle of Oracra” as the “Oracle of Oracra”.

Buffett’s father, Howard Buffett, is involved in the investment business, and Bio reads that he served on the Omaha Board of Education before being elected to Congress as a Republican in 1942.

It didn’t take long for Buffett to follow in his father’s footsteps. By the age of 11, he had already bought his first stock, so he wanted three shares of City Services at $38 per share. According to CNBC Bio, when the stock went up to $40 after a plunge, Buffett sold his holdings.

Since then, Buffett has applied lessons learned from his first investment, his bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Nebraska, and the teachings of Benjamin Graham, achieving value investments to create an empire.

“Warren Buffett’s massive economic success, along with his Central American common sense, a modest lifestyle and a sense of humor for self-deprecating, helped him become one of the most famous and admired billionaires in the world,” reads his CNBC Bio.

How did Warren Buffett become a billionaire?

Buffett accumulated his fortune primarily through Berkshire Hathaway’s investment portfolio. This was reported in March by 44 different publicly traded equities and dozens of private companies and market-free securities, The Motley Fool, a Virginia-based private finance and investment advice company.

Buffett and the late Berkshire business partner Charlie Munger have invested in numerous companies and ventures, including Coca-Cola, Heinz Ketchup, IBM Computers, Dairy Queen, Duracell, insurance companies, media companies, railways and real estate, according to his CNBC BIO.

According to Motley Fool, Buffett and Berkshire’s portfolio can be considered diversified, but the company is 47% mainly in three stocks out of the approximately $283 billion currently trading in stocks in public. Apple (22.7%), American Express (14.3%) and Bank of America (10.1%) are all big winners for Berkshire, with large investments from holding companies.

In 2024, Berkshire reached a market value of $1 trillion, becoming the first non-technical US company.

Has Warren Buffett pledged to donate 99% of his property?

In 2010, Buffett and fellow billionaire Bill Gates established a pledge to encourage wealthy people to donate half of their net worth to charities. Following the creation of the campaign, Buffett has pledged to pledge 99% of his fortune to charity.

“We had to use more than 1% of my bill check (Berkshire Hathaway stock certificate) on ourselves, but neither our happiness nor our happiness was strengthened. In contrast, the remaining 99% could have a major impact on the health and well-being of others.”

Buffett attributed his wealth to “a combination of living in America, some good fortune genes, compound interest,” according to the campaign’s website Bio.

“My luck was highlighted by my life in a market system that can produce distorted results. “I work in the economy, reward people who save other people’s lives with medals on the battlefield, reward great teachers with thank-you notes from parents, but who can detect misvaluations of securities by reaching billions.

What will Warren Buffett do next?

It’s unclear what Buffett will do next, but it may include enjoying time with his family and his wife, Astrid Menks, who has been with nearly 20 years. The two continued to Buffett’s separation from his former wife, Susie Thompson.

“She takes care of me, that’s great,” Buffett told interviewer Charlie Rose in 2007 about his wife. “You couldn’t find a better person in the world.”



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The Vatican shows how Conclave uses smoke to inform the new Pope

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The stove is set up in the smoke-producing Sistine Chapel, marking the progress of Conclave’s mission to choose a new Pope.

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A stove, although complicated, not an ancient tradition, has arrived at the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

In a few days they will be used to produce smoke indicating the progress of Conclave on the mission of choosing a new Pope.

Workers are preparing for the Cardinals meeting, which is scheduled to begin on May 7th, and will end with the election of the new Pope. Pope Francis passed away on April 21st at the age of 88.

Photos released by Vatican Media show two stoves, a series of chimney pipes installed inside the Systin Chapel, and workers installing chimneys on the roof.

The conclave is expected to last for several days, during which time the Cardinals may vote secretly. If a candidate for the Pope does not receive the required two-thirds of the vote, the Cardinals send black smoke and tell the world that the Pope has not yet been selected. When a new Pope is chosen, white smoke will bring the news to spectators.

This is how they do it:

The importance of black and white smoke

On the first day of Conclave, the Cardinals vote one vote. If the Pope is not chosen, they will begin again the next day and cast up to four votes each day until a new Pope is chosen. Smoke appears from the chimney twice daily, around local time and around 7pm. Black means the vote was inconclusive. White means there is a new Pope.

According to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, at each round of votes, the Cardinals fold the vote twice and drop it into the Holy Grail. Voting is counted by the cardinals selected to record the vote.

If they are not conclusive, the votes will be placed in the stove and burn. The second stove will help you send a puff of smoke in black or white.

How is smoke created?

In the final conclave of 2013, which ended with Francis’ election, the black smoke was a mixture of potassium perchlorate, anthracene (the ingredient in coal tar), and sulfur. White smoke was produced using potassium chlorate, lactose and chloroform resins.

The New York Times reported that a once-clever recipe for smoke has been released.

Two stove use, chemicals are relatively recent

Cardinal Smoke-producing methods have evolved to the use of cartridges containing chemicals after previous disasters. In the 1958 Conclave, when black smoke was created by adding a damp straw to a burned vote, when the smoke first appeared white, the Times reported that a failed straw caused some false alarms.

After that fiasco, they tried smoke bombs, which made more vivid colors, but filled the chapel with smoke, NBC News reported. They also tried military flares and chemical additives that made the cardiac sick. The cartridge was first used in 2005.

NBC also said that the white or black smoke tradition was not particularly ancient, but dates back to the early 1900s.

Contributions: Greta Kross and Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA Today; Reuters



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Texas signs School Choice Act. Would you like to expand your education voucher?

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Texas families are now one of many states where public funds can be used to pay for private education, such as private schools and homeschooling.

On May 3, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the law on the School Choice Bill, allocating $1 billion for use by around 100,000 students for alternative school tuition or other educational purposes. Money can be used to pay for textbooks, Academic tests, transportation to school, computers, school day meals.

Students who apply for and receive the scholarship will win approximately $10,500 to pay tuition at alternative schools, while students with disabilities will receive up to $30,000.

The Texas Universal School Selection Program comes months after President Donald Trump directed several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education, to prioritize school selection programs.

The passing of the Texas Universal School choice marks the end of a three-year saga that has repeatedly rejected the idea that state Republicans are using public funds to pay for alternative schools.

Fuerta, who studies school choices across the US from a national lens, does not consider the Texas change in mind to be a “fork moment” popular in the school choice movement, as voters in three states rejected school choice measures in the November 2024 election before Trump re-entered his federal office.

But the switching of school choices in Texas could mean that the Trump administration is increasingly pressure on the nation, and the pressure to implement ideas is gaining momentum, Huerta said. Trump congratulated Li, Don Patrick, one of the bill’s authors, for what he called “the biggest launch of the school selection program in American history.”

“What’s important nationwide is direct lobbying from the federal government, and direct lobbying from Trump administrators in threatening many Republicans who are reluctant to vote for it,” Fuerta said. Fuerta mentioned news reports that Trump and Elon Musk had put pressure on their Texas home to pass the program.

Longtime school voucher program opponents claim that the Universal School Selection Program will benefit wealthy families who are already enrolled in private or other alternative schools and who can already buy them. Children who receive state funding for the school through the choice programme will be given additional resources. They say it can widen the achievement gap between low-income communities and students with disabilities. Others argue that school selection programs strip the critical state funds from public schools that require it.

Advocates for rural Texas public schools argue that state funding should remain in public schools. They say that school selection programs do not benefit families living in rural areas, like those living in urban areas. They say other school options are often inaccessible. Homeschooling groups often reject the idea of ​​state-funded grants because they fear to invite government regulations on homeschooling.

Nevertheless, supporters have called Texas law a major victory in the school choice movement.

Choice of schools in Texas and later

Texas is part of an increase in Republican-led states that have been passing school selection programs since the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, some parents pulled their children out of neighbourhood schools and closed campuses to private schools, charter school homeschooling and other alternatives to try remote learning. Many families registered children in alternative school options after neighborhood public schools were reopened and returned to in-person learning.

Supporters of the National Schools Choice Movement are promoting Texas as another victory.

There are school selection programs in at least 35 states, as well as Washington, DC and Puerto Rico, according to Group Edchoice’s National School Selection Dashboard. These programs include educational savings accounts, charter schools, and especially vouchers dedicated to private schools.

Before this latest bill through charter schools and district-to-district relocation options were passed, school choices existed in Texas. The expansion of school choice in Texas is reminiscent of school choice victory in GOP-led states such as Tennessee and Wyoming, said Shelby Doyle, vice president of public awareness at the Pro School Choice Organization National Schools’ Choice Awareness Foundation. Both states passed the Universal School Choice Act this year, allowing families living there to spend public funds on non-public schools.

The wider selection of schools in solitude gives current and future generations more options about where to go to school, she said.

“When I think about this new private school selection program, that’s the end of the discussion about whether school selection will really become a new normal,” Doyle said.

Huerta, from Columbia University’s Teacher College, said it is still unclear whether there will be enough space for private schools and other schooling options for children who are not yet enrolled.

He said there are often issues with supply and demand for the logistics end of universal school selection programs.

“The fear then is that once the voucher appears, it suddenly becomes an attractive option for the family,” Fuerta said. “There’s a flood of people who want to leave public schools and go to private schools, but they’re not very capable.”

“Texas has long been one of the biggest holdouts in the school selection movement.”

Advocates of school choice argue that the pivot to Texas’ universal school choice is a movement victory. They predict that state programs will affect the country in particular, given the large amount of money they have allocated to help them move from nearby public schools.

Edchoice President and CEO Robert Enlow, called the signing of the Abbott Signature Bill, is the official “a monumental step for parental empowerment and student opportunities, not just for Texas, but for the people.”

“Texas has long been one of the biggest holdouts on educational freedom and has not offered a school selection program.

Please contact Kayla Jimenez (kjimenez@usatoday.com). Follow her on the X on @kaylajjimenez.



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Warren Buffett resigns as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

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Buffett resigned as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of the year, ending the 60-year run, where he said he became an influential and iconic part of the US economy.

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In a surprising announcement on May 3, Warren Buffett said he would resign at the end of the year as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, ending a 60-year era in which billionaires became an influential and iconic part of the US economy.

Buffett made the announcement at the end of Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska.

Greg Abel, 62, who was expected to be appointed CEO when Buffett retired, should take over at the end of the year. “I think it’s time for Greg to become the company’s chief executive at the end of the year,” said Buffett, 94.

Buffett said Abel and other members of the Berkshire Committee (apart from his children, Susan and Howard) had not noticed his plans before the announcement, and he had “spring up” this with them.

“I’m still hanging out and in some cases it might be useful, but the last thing that Greg said,” Buffett said.

The news was filled with standing ovations by the crowd at Chi Health Center in Omaha.

Participants laughed when Buffett said.

Abel joined Berkshire Hathaway’s board of directors in 2018 as vice-chairman of the non-insurance business, overseeing many of the conglomerate’s many subsidiaries, including BNSF Railway and all Berkshire utility companies, retail and manufacturing companies.

Buffett said the board could hold a meeting on May 4th to discuss his recommendations.

Buffett: “Extraordinary Luxury” Helming Berkshire Hathaway

Buffett’s decision to step down has thwarted a surprising 60-year-old 60 years of operation, turning Berkshire from a failed textile company into a huge, $1 trillion conglomerate with companies in the US economy.

“I realized I was in this position to run the kind of company I wanted to run, and that’s an extraordinary luxury,” Buffett said.

“No one like Warren was, and countless people, including myself, were inspired by his wisdom. Cook said Buffett was leaving Berkshire with a good hand with Abel.

The news came as a clear shock to shareholders.

According to NBC News, Berkshire board director Ron Olson said:

CFRA research analyst Kathy Seyfert told The Associated Press that there are efforts to maintain a “normal business” approach in Berkshire.

“This was probably a very tough decision for him, but it’s better to leave on your own terms,” ​​Seyfert said.

Contribution: Reuters



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Warren Buffett announces major retirement of Berkshire Hathaway Warren Buffett

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Billionaire investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett has announced his intention to retire at the end of this year. He is 94 years old.

Buffett, the world’s fifth-wealthest person, shocked the arena full of shareholders on Saturday when he announced at the end of 2025 that he would resign as CEO and chairman of the subclass Congrat Mart Berkshire Hathaway.

Thousands of investors in the arena in Omaha, Nebraska, gave Buffett a long standing ovation, acknowledging him to lead the company for 60 years.

“I think it’s time for Greg to become the company’s chief executive at the end of the year,” Buffett said.

“We don’t intend to sell a single share of Berkshire Hathaway, and we’ll ultimately pass it on,” Buffett said. “The decision to maintain all share is an economic decision because I think Berkshire’s outlook is better under Greg’s management than mine.”

Buffett made the presentation at the end of the five-hour question-and-answer session and did not ask questions about his retirement plans. The only officers who knew about the announcement in advance were his children, Howard and Susie Buffett. Abel, sitting next to Buffett on stage, was unaware, but joined the crowd to praise his boss.

Born in Alberta, Canada, Abel (62), was the successor to Buffett’s CEO since 2001. He is a 25-year Berkshire veteran and already manages all the non-insurance businesses of the conglomerate, including dozens of fossil energy, chemicals, real estate and retail. However, the announcement came as a shock as Berkshire CEO had previously insisted he had no plans to retire despite Buffett’s senior age.

Buffett has been heading an Omaha-based company since 1965, transforming Berkshire from a burning textile maker into a $103 million conglomerate, gaining numerous companies in insurance, rail, energy and other sectors.

Democrat Buffett has previously said he plans to donate 99.5% of his remaining wealth to a charitable trust that was overseen by his daughter and two sons when he died. Buffett’s net worth is $165.3 billion, according to Forbes.

Earlier on Saturday, Buffett warned of the dire global consequences of Donald Trump’s tariffs, with thousands of investors telling the annual meeting that “there is no doubt that trade could become an act of war.”

Buffett said Trump’s trade policy has increased the risk of global instability by angering other parts of the world.

“When there are 7.5 billion people you don’t really like and 300 million people screaming about how they did it, that’s a big mistake in my opinion.

“We should be trying to trade with other parts of the world. We should do our best and do what they should do best,” he said.

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In February, Berkshire reported third-highest straight-line operating profit, rising 27% to 27% in 2024 to $47.4 billion.

Longtime democratic mover and shaker Buffett didn’t support Kamala Harris in 2024 and Joe Biden in 2020.

Buffett faces a distribution of controversy, including anti-trust investigations and criticism from fire victims after Berkshire’s Pasicorp utility failed to cut off the power generation line during the Labor Day weekend wind closures in 2020, leading to fatal wildfires in Oregon and Northern California.

Speaking before the retirement bomb, Abel said “keeping the lights” is no longer a priority for conglomerate utilities when the threat of wildfires is excessive.

“It’s about protecting the public and making sure the fire doesn’t spread even further,” he said.



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Australia’s Albanese claims election victory and rides the wave of anti-Trump

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SYDNEY, May 3 (Reuters) – Australia’s Anthony Albanese advocated a historic second term as prime minister on Saturday in a dramatic comeback against formerly stricken conservatives who were in power after voter concerns over the impact of President Donald Trump.

Conservative Liberal leader Peter Dutton admitted defeat and the loss of his own seat – reflecting the fate of Canadian conservatives and their leaders, due to Trump’s backlash, due to the loss of the election a few days ago.

Supporters of Sydney’s Labour election party cheered and hugged each other as Albanese claimed victory and said his party would form a majority government.

“Our government will choose the Australian way because we are proud of who we are and everything we have built together in this country,” Albanese told supporters.

“We don’t need to beg, borrow or copy from other places. We don’t seek inspiration from overseas. We find it here and in our values ​​and people.”

Albanese is the first Australian prime minister to win a consecutive term in 20 years. He said Australians voted for equity and “strength of showing their strength to show adversity and kindness to those in need.”

The Australian Election Committee website predicts that Labour will win 80 of the 150 seats in the House, with 90% of the polling stations counting, increasing the majority.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has predicted 85 seats and 41 seats for the liberal and national coalition.

Dutton – Liberals had led the polls recently in February before he was troubled by comparisons with Trump – said he called Albanese to congratulate him.

“We didn’t do well enough during this campaign. That’s a lot tonight and I’ll accept full responsibility for it,” Dutton said in a TV speech.

Dutton, a former police officer with a reputation for being harsh on crime and immigration, said he spoke to the Labour candidate at the Dixon seat he held for 20 years and congratulated her on success.

“We’ve been defined by our enemies in this election, and this is not a true story of who we are,” Dutton said, promising that the party would rebuild.

Trump’s Factor

Concerns about Trump’s volatile trade and other policies were one of the biggest issues with voter minds, according to polls.

“If you throw enough mud at us, it’s going to stick,” said Jacinta Nampizinpa Price, a liberal senator from the Northern Territory.

“You made it all about Trump,” she said on ABC. Dutton said he would appoint prices to the government’s Department of Efficiency, one of several echoes of Trump’s policies.

“Losing Peter Dutton is a huge loss,” she added.

Several political analysts have been critical of the Liberal Party’s campaign, saying there hasn’t been enough policy work, and that Dutton has made mistakes, including a short-lived policy banning civil servants working from home.

Liberal spokesman Sen. James Patterson defended the conservative campaign and said he was negatively affected by “Trump factors.”

“It was devastating in Canada for conservatives… I think it was a factor here. How big of a factor will be determined in just a few hours,” he previously told ABC.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued a statement congratulating Albanese, saying that Australia is “a precious allies, partners and friends of the United States.”

“Our shared values ​​and democratic traditions provide bedrock for a lasting alliance and a deep connection between our people,” Rubio said.

British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer also congratulated Albanese, saying that defence cooperation between the two countries, including Orcas, and support for Ukraine will grow.

“The UK and Australia are still as close as ever. This indicates that long-distance friendships are the strongest,” Starmer wrote on social media platform X.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Albanese in his message from X:

Previously, when the count went on, Labour Treasury Secretary Jim Chalmers said the government “got into all sorts of trouble” at the end of 2024 but returned to the contest due to Albanese’s strong campaign performance, concerns about the cost of living and the Trump effect.

When the results began to emerge, he told ABC that the expected victory was an “age victory.” Albanese “spent one of the great political victories since the Federation,” he said.

The outcome was “absolutely incredible,” said worker supporter Melinda Adderly, 54, in tears in the election party.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham, Christine Chen, and Alasdair Pal of Sydney; Editing by Edmund Klamann, Andrew Heavens, and Mark Heinrich)



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Silver Charm, the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner, still charming fan

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The enduring phenomenon of silver charms, equivalent to at least 90 years old, represents a renewed interest in aftercare in the thoroughbred world.

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Georgetown, Ky. — Michael Bren emerges from his home’s garage in a red solo cup full of treats he sets up specially for the 31-year-old horse, whom he’s calling his favourite creature in the world.

That’s quite a statement. The 78-year-old Broen had a wife and family and became friends with all sorts of famous people of his year as a Boston Globe film critic. But as he walks towards the grassy field hundreds of feet away from his home, he gets energized, almost completely white horse – who happens to be the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner.

Bowen smiles and opens the gate. The horse knows the routine. They begin jogging side by side, as quickly and energetically as the two old men can move. After 10 or 15 seconds, they give up both.

“I have a lot of kids, lots of grandchildren, there are so many everything, right?” Bloen says he explains why the man in his life has to take the back seat on a horse. “Silver has only one charm and he’s in my backyard.”

It’s a big week for the horse that captured the American imagination in 1997, and for the horse that thwarted a narrow victory in Derby and Preakness. Derby Week, the famous thoroughbred retirement farm that began in 2003, is another animal.

Tours are well booked. Bob Buffate, who won his first derby with Silver Charm, always stops by. And while his upper-age frailty sacrificed him a bit of mobility, he sacrificed everything except four of his teeth, he realizes that Silver Charm is Showtime.

Every few hours, he’ll approach the fence, stick his tongue out, waiting for visitors to feed him his custom-made snacks, or fine carrots that don’t require him to bite too much.

“He still thrives just by being around people,” said John Nicholson, who took over as executive director and CEO of an old friend last year. “Every day is a treasure and he is there every day. We are blessed.”

The enduring phenomenon of silver charms, equivalent to at least 90 years old, represents a renewed interest in aftercare in the thoroughbred world.

Nearby Kentucky Horse Park has long been a tourist attraction where past champions spent their last days, but Broughen started an old friend at the same time that reports that Ferdinand was the 1986 Derby winner and the 1987 horse appeared.

The news has surprised American racing fans, opening the eyes of people in the industry about how easy it would have been for even famous and beloved racehorses to meet a cruel and tragic end if they no longer benefited as stallions.

After Silver Charm returned from his own disappointing stud career in Japan and arrived at an old friend in 2014, he quickly tested Bren’s theory that people pay to pay for intimate and personal opportunities with the stars he saw at the racetrack. As a result, in addition to 230 acres in Kentucky, there are two other Derby winners – Big Brown (2008), along with satellite farms in Japan and New York, and there are two more Derby winners.

“It costs $3.5 million a year to run all of our farms with old friends. I’ll list Silver Charm as a Chief’s fundraiser,” Nicholson said. “He’s part of every message we send. He’s often a messenger. He excites people when they’re here and tells them he’s always a good public figure. He’s very aware when there’s cameras.

Old friends, as Nicholson points out, are not rescue operations. Other organizations prioritize the job, and older friends don’t just ride anyone’s horses. The waiting list to fill the food stalls here is long.

However, it has helped to spotlight the concept of aftercare and the responsibility of horse owners, and to care for the animals from the racetrack to the final resting spot.

“We’re now a pillar of the industry,” Nicholson said. “It’s not about fringes. You just have to do it.”

There is no moment when Broen is around the silver charm that he doesn’t have a big smile on his face. Although the horse lived here for ten years, Bren still calls the arrival of Silver Charm the best day of his life, and wears a baseball cap actually made for Buffalo in 1997.

Like so many horse racing fans, Bren became obsessed with Silver Charm in the spring of 1997, stopping Captain Bodette with the neck of the Derby, then decided to stop the Free House outdoors with his nose as Preakness.

Silver Charm led Belmont by an eighth mile and looked poised to become the first Triple Crown winner in 19 years, but Touchgold passed him in the final 75 yards to win half the length.

Now touch Gold Life to one paddock. Here we can imagine two old rivals where romantic fans, at least, continue to debate decades over who is actually superior.

Surprisingly, they still look robust and healthy. This is not at all thanks to the detailed healthcare and nutritional support that horses receive with their old friends. For a long time, the silver charm exceeds his athletic glory, his coat is much whiter than people remember from his racing days, but he still makes a good impression and looks like a horse that leaves him with enough life.

“He’s losing weight and getting a little riboo,” says Bren, who says the silver charm walks under the shed and gives some relief from the afternoon sun.

It’s a subtle but poignant realization that he will not be here forever.

But the gift of Silver Charm is that he still wakes up every day and connects someone to one of their best memories. Whether they’ve cashed out that race, whether they’re the spouse they met on that Derby day, or whether he’ll win a triple crown with a loved one who’s no longer alive, old friends hear different reasons every day about why fans make a pilgrimage to meet him in person.

And for a long time, they cherish it.

“A little handsome!” says Broen, the silver charm, the tongue hanging from his mouth, approaching a red cup filled with snacks in his hands. “He’s incredible.”



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Serbian President Vic shortens our visit and returns home after getting sick

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Belgrade
AP

Serbian President Alexander Vicz has returned to Serbia after shortening his visit to the US and feeling sudden chest pain, apparently caused by high blood pressure, doctors said on Saturday.

Vucic, 55, suddenly got sick during a meeting in the US on Friday and decided to go home against advice from US doctors, said Dragan Dincic, a cardiologist at a military hospital in Belgrade, where Vucic was treated when he arrived.

Dincic said Vucic received additional treatment after the incident and was now in a “stable and satisfying state.” Dincic added that Vucic will not be hospitalized, but “we cannot expect to return to his normal activities for several days.”

Vucic was previously in Miami, Florida, where he met former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Vucic said he hopes he will meet with US President Donald Trump.

Richard Grenell, the US President’s envoy for special missions, expressed his hope that VUCIC would recover. “I’m sorry I missed you, but I hope everything is fine,” Grenell wrote to X.

The Serbian populist leader also said he will travel to Russia later this month to attend the Victory Day parade in Moscow, despite warnings from European Union officials that could affect bids for the Serbian bloc.

Vucic refused to participate in Western sanctions against Russia over Ukrainian invasion. He is also under pressure at home after six months of sustained anti-rot protests caused by the collapse of roofs at a railway station in the country that killed 16 people.



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