Russia's services sector grows at slowest rate in 15 months, PMI shows…Russia's services sector grows at slowest rate in 15 months, PMI showsWW…

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Thousands gathered on Rio de Janeiro’s famous Copacabana beach on Saturday ahead of a free open-air concert by pop star Madonna that was expected to attract some 1.5 million people. The Brazilian show marks the end of Madonna’s greatest hits world tour, “Celebration,” which started in late 2023. Rio’s city government has said it would deploy thousands of police officers around the concert area, managing the crowds with a strategy similar to its plan for the city’s famous New Year’s Eve celebrations. With temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees...…RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Thousands gathered on Rio de Janeiro’s famous Copacabana beach on Saturday ahead of a free open-air concert by pop star Madonna that was expected to attract some 1.5 million people. The Brazilian show marks the end of Madonna’s greatest hits world tour, “Celebration,” which started in late 2023. Rio’s city government has said it would deploy thousands of police officers around the concert area, managing the crowds with a strategy similar to its plan for the city’s famous New Year’s Eve celebrations. With temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees...WW…

By Isabelle Yr Carlsson COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – The Eurovision Song Contest, a music kitsch-fest watched by some 200 million people, kicks off in Malmö, Sweden on Sunday with its “turquoise carpet” gala, in what fans say is a wide-open year with half a dozen countries having a shot at the title. Bookmakers have Croatia, Switzerland and Ukraine as the top three favourites to win, while streaming data from Spotify suggests a strong chance for the Netherlands, Italy or host nation Sweden. “This year is so exciting because there are four or five countries who really have a good shot at...…By Isabelle Yr Carlsson COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – The Eurovision Song Contest, a music kitsch-fest watched by some 200 million people, kicks off in Malmö, Sweden on Sunday with its “turquoise carpet” gala, in what fans say is a wide-open year with half a dozen countries having a shot at the title. Bookmakers have Croatia, Switzerland and Ukraine as the top three favourites to win, while streaming data from Spotify suggests a strong chance for the Netherlands, Italy or host nation Sweden. “This year is so exciting because there are four or five countries who really have a good shot at...WW…

By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A winner of seven Olympic gold medals, a leader of the Mississippi civil rights struggle and a pioneer of television’s tabloid talk show genre are part of this year’s class of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. U.S. President Joe Biden will extend the highest U.S. civilian award to 19 people, including Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky, the assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers and television host Phil Donahue. The honorees list plays special homage to “firsts” in their field, including the “Everything Everywhere All at Once”...…By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A winner of seven Olympic gold medals, a leader of the Mississippi civil rights struggle and a pioneer of television’s tabloid talk show genre are part of this year’s class of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. U.S. President Joe Biden will extend the highest U.S. civilian award to 19 people, including Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky, the assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers and television host Phil Donahue. The honorees list plays special homage to “firsts” in their field, including the “Everything Everywhere All at Once”...WW…

(Reuters) – Universal Music Group on Thursday posted first-quarter adjusted core profit that beat expectations, helped by the success of its star Taylor Swift. The world’s biggest music label posted adjusted core earnings (EBITDA) of 591 million euros ($632.6 million), up 15.9% year-on-year and comfortably above the 567 million expected by analysts in a Visible Alpha consensus shared by the company. ($1 = 0.9343 euros) (Reporting by Olivier Sorgho; Editing by Jan Harvey)…(Reuters) – Universal Music Group on Thursday posted first-quarter adjusted core profit that beat expectations, helped by the success of its star Taylor Swift. The world’s biggest music label posted adjusted core earnings (EBITDA) of 591 million euros ($632.6 million), up 15.9% year-on-year and comfortably above the 567 million expected by analysts in a Visible Alpha consensus shared by the company. ($1 = 0.9343 euros) (Reporting by Olivier Sorgho; Editing by Jan Harvey)WW…