MON SIX

The lead-up to the Met Gala 2026 officially kicked off on Friday, May 1, with Vogue’s annual pre-party, held in New York City.

Meanwhile, outside Madame Tussauds in Times Square, fans had already begun gathering in anticipation of catching a glimpse of celebrities as they arrived for the evening.

Inside, the space was filled with designers, models, actors, and industry insiders gathering just days before fashion’s biggest night.

The party, hosted by Chloe Malle, Teyana Taylor, and Simone Ashley, welcomed an array of big names from the worlds of fashion and entertainment.

Throughout the evening, guests mingled, explored the venue, and soaked in the excitement building for the upcoming Met Gala.

The pre-party set the tone for the weekend's main event.

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The Met Gala is set for Monday, May 4, in New York City, with around 450 guests expected, uniting top names from fashion, film, music, and sports.

With co-chairs including Anna Wintour, Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams, the night is expected to draw major attention once again.

As always, with much of the guest list unconfirmed and details closely guarded by organizers, speculation continues to swirl among fans and media about which celebrities might appear on the red carpet.

As we prepare for the main event, let’s check out the Met Gala’s pre-party celebrity looks.

© Photo:Bauer-Griffin/GettyImages

© Photo:Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

© Photo:Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — European leaders on Monday said that U.S. President Donald Trump’s snap decision to pull thousands ofU.S. troops out of Germanycame as a surprise but is a fresh sign that Europe must take care of its own security.

Armenia Europe Summit

The Pentagon announced last week that it would pull some 5,000 troops out of Germany, but Trump told reporters on Saturday that “we’re going to cut way down. And we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000.”

He offered no reason for the move, which blindsided NATO, but his decision came amid an escalatingdispute with German Chancellor Friedrich Merzover the U.S-Israeli war on Iran, and Trump’s anger that European allies have been reluctant to get involved in the conflict in the Middle East.

Asked about the decision to pull out 5,000 troops from Germany, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said: “I wouldn’t exaggerate that because I think we are expecting that Europe is taking more charge of its own security.

“I do not see those figures as dramatic, but I think they should be handled in a harmonious way inside the framework of NATO,” he told reporters in Yerevan, Armenia, where European leaders are holding a summit.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said “there has been a talk about withdrawal of U.S. troops for a long time from Europe. But of course, the timing of this announcement comes as a surprise.”

“I think it shows that we have to really strengthen the European pillar in NATO,” she said.

Asked whether she believes that Trump is trying to punish Merz, who said that the U.S. has been humiliated by Iran in talks to end the war, Kallas said: “I don’t see into the head of President Trump, so he has to explain it himself.”

Over the weekend, NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said that officials at the 32-nation military alliance “are working with the U.S. to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany.”

European allies and Canada have known since just after he came to office again last year that Trump wouldpull troops out of Europe— indeed some left Romania in October — but U.S. officials had pledged to coordinate any moves with their NATO allies to avoid creating a security vacuum.

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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte played down the move, saying that “there has been at this point disappointment on the U.S. side” about European support for the war on Iran.

Notably France, Spain and the U.K. have declined to give U.S. forces free rein to use bases on their territory to attack Iran. Spain has denied them the use of its airspace and bases there for the war.

But Rutte, who has championed Trump’s leadership at NATO despite the U.S. president's criticism of the majority of the allies, said: “I would say the Europeans have heard a message. They are now making sure that all the bilateral basing agreements are being implemented.”

Rutte added that European nations “have decided to pre-position assets, key assets, close to the theater for the next phase.”

He provided no details, but the Europeans have insisted they would not help police the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy trade route, until the war is over.

French President Emmanuel Macron said “if the United States is ready to reopen Hormuz, that’s great. That’s what we’ve been asking for since the beginning.” But he underlined that the Europeans are not ready to get involved in any operation “that does not seem clear to us.”

In another sign of friction with Merz, Trump has accused the EU of not complying with its U.S. trade deal and announced plans toincrease tariffsnext week on cars and trucks produced in the bloc to 25%, a move that would be particularly damaging to Germany, a major automobile manufacturer.

Without mentioning Trump or the United States, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen listed recent trade deals that the bloc has sealed with Australia and India, and is now working on with Mexico.

“With like-minded friends, you have stable, reliable supply chains and Europe has the biggest network of free trade agreements,” von der Leyen, who is from Germany, told reporters.

Cook reported from Brussels.

Missing U.S. soldier was trying to save colleague who fell in ocean off Moroccan coast 01:21

One of thetwo American service members missing in Moroccojumped into the water to try to save the other missing soldier, defense officials told CBS News on Monday.

Search and rescue efforts were still underway as of Monday after the two U.S. Army soldiers went missing in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean off Morocco's southern coast over the weekend. The soldiers were part of an annual training exercise known as African Lion, although the incident is not believed to be related to the exercise.

According to a preliminary report, a group of service members was on a hike to watch the sunset when a soldier fell into the water. A defense official previously told CBS News the soldiers were last seen near ocean cliffs near the Cap Draa Training Area.

When the first soldier fell into the water, the nearby service members attempted a rescue by forming a human chain with their belts, but were unsuccessful, the officials said. Another soldier then jumped in to save the service member, who was known not to be able to swim, but the would-be rescuer was immediately hit by a wave, the report indicates.

Both soldiers were having trouble getting back to shore, so a third jumped in. That third soldier wasn't able to save the other two but was able to make it back safely on their own, the officials said.

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Multiple aircraft, drones, divers and vessels have been searching along Morocco's southern coast for the last three days for the two missing U.S. soldiers.

African Lion is the largest annual joint military exercise led by AFRICOM, one of the U.S. Department of Defense's 11 unified combatant commands. It brings together thousands of troops from the United States, African partner nations and NATO allies to train for modern warfare across land, air, sea, cyber and space domains.

The soldiers were stationed at a base along with more than 7,000 service members from over 30 countries for the annual exercises.

A CBS News crew embedded with the U.S. military spoke with one of the technology developers just hours before the two soldiers went missing.

"I choose to look around and measure the work we do today as a metric for the number of lives we'll save in the future," 1st Lt. Vincent Gasparri said.

That future came sooner than expected as the rescue effort involved using drones he designed himself to search for his fellow soldiers.

The Eastern Conference semifinal series between the Knicks and76erstips off on Monday night in Madison Square Garden, but one of the top celebrity New York fans won't be in attendance.

Actor Ben Stiller, a Knicks superfan, opted to attend the Met Gala on Monday night over Game 1. Stiller was spotted on the red carpet at the event with his wife, fellow actor Christine Taylor. Stiller sported an orange tie, while Taylor wore a blue dress.

Stiller apparently joked with reporters on the red carpet about missing the game, stating that he would be watching it on his phone. He also predicted a Knicks win in six games, as was the case in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks.

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"Knicks in six," Stiller said.

Stiller also joked that he wished he were at the game instead of the Gala.

It's certainly a bit surprising that Stiller won't be in the Garden on Monday night, but it seems the Met Gala takes priority.

This article originally appeared on For The Win:Met Gala: Ben Stiller jokes about missing Knicks-Sixers Game 1

Legislation toincrease the federal minimum wageto a living wage of $25 per hour has been introduced by acoalition of Democratsciting the need to address the affordability crisis.

TheLiving Wage for All Actwould increase the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour to $25 per hour - incrementally over the next five years for employers with more than 500 workers and giving smaller businesses a twelve year timeline. It would also build in automatic adjustments to keep up with rising costs.

“Housing, gas, and grocery costs have all surged, yet the federal minimum wage hasn’t been raised since 2009," said Rep. Analilia Mejia (NJ-11)  in apress release. "This is unacceptable. No one working full time should be struggling to survive. We need an economy that reflects the realities of 2026, not one stuck over a decade ago."

The federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 since 2009. Albeit more than half the country have raised theirs since. States such as Washington, Connecticut, California, New York and Rhode Island are among those with the highest minimum wages exceeding $16 per hour, while some local/regional areas have exceeded their state minimums, such as West Hollywood, CA at $19.65 per hour, or Flagstaff, AZ at $18.35 per hour or Denver, CO at $18.81.

This new legislation reflects a national push with many states already leading campaigns to push their own state minimum wages to $25 per hour or higher.

“Growing up, I saw my immigrant parents and my neighbors working multiple minimum wage jobs just to survive," said Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03). "Today, companies are reporting record-high earnings while working people struggle to survive. Minimum wage is not a living wage. That’s not right. If we want to address the affordability crisis, we must also address the wage crisis.”

Washington, D.C. holds the highest minimum wage in the US at $17.95, while 20 statesincluding Pennsylvania, remain at the $7.25 per hour wage.

Another sponsor of the bill, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) said the need for a living wage couldn't be any clearer, "The gap between the wealthy and everyone else keeps widening. Corporate profits are at a record high, and bosses are actively cutting their workforces, undermining organizing efforts, and trying to replace labor entirely. Meanwhile, working families are struggling to pay their rent, buy groceries, and go to the doctor. It’s past time that workers are paid what they deserve.”

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Here's what's in the legislation.

What is the Living Wage for All Act?

According toHouse bill H.R. 8555, theLiving Wage for All Actaims to place the "Federal minimum wage on a durable path toward a living wage aligned with the national median wage, to require large, highly profitable corporations to lead the transition, to end all subminimum wages, and for other purposes."

The legislation would raise the federal minimum wage from the current $7.25 to $25 per hour through a gradual, phased approach wherein, larger employers with more than 500 workers or annual gross revenues of $1,000,000,000 would incrementally raise the wage to $25 per hour by 2031:

• $12 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2026

• $15 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2027

• $18 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2028

• $20 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2029

• $22.50 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2030

• $25 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2031

All other smaller businesses, would have until 2038 to gradually raise their minimum wages to the $25 per hour.

The Living Wage for All Act would further establish a standard to keep the minimum wage aligned with growth, "as the economy grows and wages rise, the minimum wage would rise with it." It would also eliminate subminimum wages, including tipped workers, youth workers and workers with disabilities.

Congressmembers Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04),Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Lateefah Simon (CA-12) and Analilia Mejia (NJ-11) introduced the Living Wage For ALL bill last week, leading a coalition made up of multiple cosponsors from across the country, and over 100 labor, community, civil rights and economic justice organizations advocating for a living wage for all workers in the US.

The bill was introduced on April 28, and has not yet been brought up for a vote.

Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist covering trending and breaking topics across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions for USA Today Network. Reach her at mfrancis@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com:What is federal minimum wage? $25 per hour, Living Wage for All Act

WOOSTER − He needed some time to recollect all the thoughts and feelings that were pouring inside of him.

Wooster baseball head coach Steve Young stood near second base where there was a spray painting of late sophomore second baseman Maddox Graser's initials and jersey number two "MG 2", who died on Friday, April 24.

Young stood there and let the raw emotions take over for about three minutes. Then pitcher/first baseman Brian Lapp walked over to his coach and they shared a moment.

More:Family, friends gather at funeral for Wooster baseball player Maddox Graser

More:Wooster baseball player Maddox Graser passes away after medical emergency

In playing their first game since their 10-0 home win over West Holmes on April 21, Wooster (10-1, 7-0) made its long awaited return to the baseball diamond and first game without Graser to grab a 7-2 victory against Ohio Cardinal Conference opponent Lexington.

Asked how was the team's emotions were coming into Monday's game and Young said, "It was tough for me this morning. I think the team was more ready then me. It was one our guys needed. Something positive. We haven't had anything positive for two weeks. It wasn't pretty. It was a gritty win. I told them it was symbolic of the way Maddox played. Like a little dirt bag. I'm proud of them and I know Maddox is too."

Wooster sophomore shortstop Wesley Wheeler, who made a slew of defensive outs on the evening and was close friends with Graser, shared his feelings coming into Monday's game not being able to play with his infield partner anymore.

"He's a guy I played with since six-years-old," said Wheeler. "He's played second with me and I played short. We were a middle infield duo. It's tough losing that guy who was one of your best friends and somebody you played with your life.

"Coming into today, we were so ready to play for him. It was a lot of excitement but also nervousness. We were a little stressed but we were going to go out and have fun for Maddox."

And that's the main thing Young stressed to his team before their first game in 12 days: Go out and have fun.

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"The focus was to come out and have fun," he said. "You're with your brothers. Guys you've played together with since you were four-five years-old. Maddox would want us to play. I don't care what the result is. Just play hard, support each other and have fun."

Taking over at second base for Maddox the rest of the season and who's looking to form a strong infield partnership beside Wheeler is senior Adam Daugherty.

"I felt some pressure but I know if I tried to play like him, then I wouldn't be playing to the best of my abilities," Daugherty said. "It was a bit emotional because I practiced with him at the same position throughout the season and last year. We've had fun times off the field too. We were getting closer this year and then he's gone. I knew I had to go out and play my game for him."

"He will be our primary second baseman," Young said of Daugherty. "He's a senior. Last year he was on JV. It's his time. What's really cool was that Maddox's dad talked to him and said, 'There's no pressure.' We told him, 'Just go play. Go be you.'"

Young said afterwards that the team has "a lot of moving parts" with Graser being gone, who said "was arguably our best player this year". Yet, for this Generals team during the rest of this 2026 season, it will be dedicated to playing for Graser.

"Everyday. Every pitch. Everyday will be to honor him and the way he played the game," said Young, as he started to get choked up. "Just making sure he's not forgotten and it's up to us to continue to honor his name."

"His grittiness. He was as gritty, aggressive and hardworking as much as anyone you're ever going to meet," Wheeler said. "His passion for baseball was insane."

"We'll definitely be missing his presence," Daugherty said. "He's one of the best second basemen I've ever seen. It'll be sad not watching him take the field."

jamessimpson@gannett.com

Twitter/X: @JamesSimpsonII

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record:Wooster baseball honors Maddox Graser in first game back since his death

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown on Sunday criticized officiating in the team's first-round loss to Philadelphia and also pointed at 76ers center Joel Embiid for flopping.

Brown spoke on the streaming platform Twitch on Sunday, a day after the second-seeded Celtics lost Game 7 at home to the seventh-seeded 76ers in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Boston played without injured star forward Jayson Tatum, but Brown found other reasons for the Celtics' downfall as Philadelphia won the last three games in the best-of-seven series.

Embiid collected 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in the 76ers' 109-100 victory on Saturday. The 7-foot, 270-pounder was 9 of 11 at the free-throw line. He used his big body to draw fouls and used some physical acting to get extra calls, Brown contended.

"I mean, this is my personal opinion on basketball," Brown said. "Some of y'all might disagree, you know what I mean? But argue with your grandma. Flopping has ruined our game.

"Embiid is a great player, one of the best bigs in ... basketball history, flops," Brown continued. "He knows it. This ain't breaking news."

Brown acknowledged that he has been critical of officiating in the regular season, and he believes that carried over in how referees called the series, particularly in calling offensive fouls on him.

"Why are you targeting me? They clearly had an agenda," he said. "Maybe because I spoke, I was critical of the refs in the regular season. So you know how they responded? ‘We're gonna call every -- you're gonna lead the playoffs in offensive fouls.' That was the response from the officiating crew.

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"You could clearly tell," he continued. "I've actually spoken to some refs and they said it was an agenda going into each game. ‘Any time Jaylen brings his arm up, just from reputation, just call it.' "

Brown said that Paul George of the 76ers and Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, for example, make push-off moves with their off arm when driving with the ball to create space, but they don't get called like he does for offensive fouls.

"It's a basketball play, whether y'all believe it or not," Brown said. "Everybody does that when you drive, especially if you've got bodies on you. But Philly took advantage of it, and they took advantage of the officiating. It cost us to some degree. I've been doing it all regular season, not a problem. Now, all of a sudden, it's an offensive foul every time. Keep that same energy with everybody else. That's all I've gotta say."

Brown was whistled for 10 offensive fouls in the first round, more than twice as many as the next-highest player, according to reports. In the regular season, the Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns was called for 65 offensive fouls, with Brown second in the league at 40.

Brown, 29, is a five-time All-Star who won the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award when the Celtics captured the league championship in 2024.

He averaged career highs with 28.7 points and 5.1 assists and matched the mark with 6.9 rebounds per game in 71 regular-season games this season. Brown averaged 25.7 points, 3.3 assists and 5.7 rebounds in seven playoff games.

--Field Level Media