Proteas’ paceman Rabada reveals his ban for drug use
Proteas’ paceman Rabada reveals his ban for drug use
Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s key pace bowler, has revealed he is serving a provisional suspension after testing positive for a recreational drug.
Set to be the spearhead for the Proteas in the World Test Championship final against champions Australia at Lord’s next month, the paceman’s immediate future remains unclear.
Rabada, who sits second in the International Cricket Council Test bowling rankings, went back home after playing just two matches with Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League last month.
The Titans said at the time he had done so to tend to an “important personal matter” and the 29-year-old has now disclosed this was due to returning an adverse analytical finding for a recreational substance.
Rabada expressed his regret at his actions and is already looking at drawing a line under the incident although it is unclear when he will be able to resume his career as no formal suspension has been announced by either the IPL or the International Cricket Council..
“I am deeply sorry to all those that I have let down,” he said in a statement released by the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), the country’s players’ union.
“I will never take the privilege of playing cricket for granted. This privilege is much larger than me. It goes beyond my personal aspirations.
“I am serving a provisional suspension and I am looking forward to returning to the game I love playing.
“I couldn’t have gone through this alone. I’d like to thank my agent, Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Gujarat Titans for their support. I’d also like to thank SACA and my legal team for their guidance and counsel. Most importantly I’d like to thank my friends and family for their understanding and love.
“Moving forward, this moment will not define me. I will keep doing what I have always done, continuously working hard and playing with passion and devotion to my craft.”
Rabada underlined his status as South Africa’s pace spearhead and one of the world’s finest bowlers when he became the quickest to reach 300 Test wickets in terms of ****** bowled in October last year.
He briefly shot back up to the top of the ICC’s Test bowling standings, having first gone to the summit in January 2018, but he has since been leapfrogged by India’s Jasprit Bumrah.
Rabada has taken 327 wickets at an average of 22 from just 70 Tests while he has amassed a further 168 dismissals in 108 ODIs and 71 in 65 T20 internationals.
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Proteas’ paceman Rabada reveals his ban for drug use
Proteas’ paceman Rabada reveals his ban for drug use
Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s key pace bowler, has revealed he is serving a provisional suspension after testing positive for a recreational drug.
Set to be the spearhead for the Proteas in the World Test Championship final against champions Australia at Lord’s next month, the paceman’s immediate future remains unclear.
Rabada, who sits second in the International Cricket Council Test bowling rankings, went back home after playing just two matches with Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League last month.
The Titans said at the time he had done so to tend to an “important personal matter” and the 29-year-old has now disclosed this was due to returning an adverse analytical finding for a recreational substance.
Rabada expressed his regret at his actions and is already looking at drawing a line under the incident although it is unclear when he will be able to resume his career as no formal suspension has been announced by either the IPL or the International Cricket Council..
“I am deeply sorry to all those that I have let down,” he said in a statement released by the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), the country’s players’ union.
“I will never take the privilege of playing cricket for granted. This privilege is much larger than me. It goes beyond my personal aspirations.
“I am serving a provisional suspension and I am looking forward to returning to the game I love playing.
“I couldn’t have gone through this alone. I’d like to thank my agent, Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Gujarat Titans for their support. I’d also like to thank SACA and my legal team for their guidance and counsel. Most importantly I’d like to thank my friends and family for their understanding and love.
“Moving forward, this moment will not define me. I will keep doing what I have always done, continuously working hard and playing with passion and devotion to my craft.”
Rabada underlined his status as South Africa’s pace spearhead and one of the world’s finest bowlers when he became the quickest to reach 300 Test wickets in terms of ****** bowled in October last year.
He briefly shot back up to the top of the ICC’s Test bowling standings, having first gone to the summit in January 2018, but he has since been leapfrogged by India’s Jasprit Bumrah.
Rabada has taken 327 wickets at an average of 22 from just 70 Tests while he has amassed a further 168 dismissals in 108 ODIs and 71 in 65 T20 internationals.
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#Proteas #paceman #Rabada #reveals #ban #drug
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Warren Buffett says ‘trade should not be a weapon’ at annual Berkshire meeting – CNN
Warren Buffett says ‘trade should not be a weapon’ at annual Berkshire meeting – CNN
Warren Buffett says ‘trade should not be a weapon’ at annual Berkshire meeting CNNWarren Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway meeting says ‘trade should not be a weapon’ USA TodayWarren Buffett calls for more free trade as path to prosperity AxiosWarren Buffett says U.S. shouldn’t use “trade as a weapon,” as Trump has done with tariffs CBS NewsThrongs of admirers fill an arena to get Warren Buffett’s take on tariffs and Berkshire Hathaway AP News
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Zoochosis coming to PS5, PS4
Zoochosis coming to PS5, PS4
Clapperheads will release night zookeeper bodycam horror simulation game Zoochosis for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, the developer announced. A release date was not announced.
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Dynatron coolers support up to 660W for Intel Diamond Rapids and AMD Venice CPUs
Dynatron coolers support up to 660W for Intel Diamond Rapids and AMD Venice CPUs
Dynatron, a US-based company specializing in cooling solutions for consumer and enterprise-grade machines, has published product pages for next-generation Intel and AMD coolers via hardware detective momomo_us. While this data is preliminary and likely serves as a placeholder, it unofficially confirms Diamond Rapids (Intel) and Venice (AMD) as upcoming server offerings from CPU companies and their respective sockets.
Less than a year has passed since AMD’s and Intel’s current-generation server offerings hit shelves. We’re already hearing rumors about what’s coming next. AMD spilled the beans early, confirming Venice as the codename for its future EPYC processors, standing as the first HPC product to be fabbed on TSMC’s N2 process and (expected to be) based on the Zen 6 architecture. Though unofficial, following two generations on SP5, Venice is rumored to advance to the SP7 socket.
Meanwhile, Intel has confirmed its E-core-only Clearwater Forest family, underlining the best IFS: 18A and advanced chiplet packaging, including Foveros Direct 3D stacking. The P-core rival to Venice is expected to be Diamond Rapids (potentially Xeon 7); however, official details remain scarce. Test tool listings point to these CPUs moving to the Oak Stream platform and its LGA 9324 socket, which likely boasts considerable I/O improvements over LGA 7529-based boards used by current Granite Rapids-AP (Xeon 6900) processors.
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Dynatron)
(Image credit: Dynatron)
(Image credit: Dynatron)
Dynatron has listed three new coolers on its website: C21, J24, and J25. The latter two are specified to support CPUs based on AMD’s SP7 socket, likely referring to Venice. Following AMD’s typical two-year cadence between CPU generations, and as Turin ‘EPYC 9005’ launched in the latter half of 2024, we are still at least one year away from seeing Venice in action.
Designed for air-cooled setups, the J24 (3U) and J25 (4U) are listed to handle up to 600W of power. Based on the provided cooler drawings, we can infer the approximate size of Venice’s IHS at 72.5mm x 60mm. Remember, this is just a guess, not a definitive specification or confirmation from AMD. The 9-heatpipe equipped C21 is rated to dissipate up to 660W of power, listed to support Intel’s Diamond Rapids-AP processors, based on the LGA 9324 socket.
Intel segments its server offerings into SP (Scalable Performance) for systems scaling up to 8 sockets, and AP (Advanced Platform), designed for single or dual-socket servers prioritizing higher core counts per socket, using a larger platform. Consequently, we might also see a Diamond Rapids-SP variant utilizing a smaller socket, and a Diamond Rapids-D derivative as an SoC (System on Chip).
Current speculation purports that Diamond-Rapids will use Intel’s Panther Cove-X architecture, which is suggested to be an analogue of Coyote Cove, which is rumored to be employed by Nova Lake. Panther Cove is suggested to feature “large” IPC improvements, along with support for APX instructions. The significance of the ‘X’ in Panther Cove-X is unknown, though it might indicate server-specific optimizations.
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101-year-old WW2 codebreakers reunite for anniversary
101-year-old WW2 codebreakers reunite for anniversary
BBC
Kath (left) and Gwenfron worked at Bletchley Park together during the war but only met last year at a joint birthday party
Two 101-year-old former codebreakers at Bletchley Park have reunited to accept an award ahead of the 80th anniversary of VE day.
Kath Morris, from Neath, and Gwenfron Picken, from Port Talbot, have been celebrated for their contributions to breaking Germany’s secret codes during World War Two.
Despite growing up in the same area, they did not know each other until they met at a joint 100th birthday party last year.
The pair sat down with First Minister Eluned Morgan as she talked to the veterans, which Gwenfron called a “pleasant surprise”.
Crown copyright/GCHQ
Approximately 7,500 women worked at Bletchley Park during World War II
Gwenfron was 18 when she was called for an interview in the Port Talbot Labour Exchange where she was asked how she would support the war effort.
She wanted to be a nurse, but was told she was too slight for the role.
This led her to London – a city she had never been to before – where she was assigned to Bletchley Park.
Gwenfron said she was “proud” of her service and even got promoted while working there from 14 August 1944 to 26 September 1945.
At a time when fears about ******* spies were heightened, you could only talk to people you “worked with, or you lived with,” according to Gwenfron.
She said she never heard the air raid siren go off at Bletchley Park which contrasted with her time in Wales.
“They kept away. At home it used to go off quite often. Especially when they were going over Swansea,” she said.
Workers were bound by the Official Secrets Act to not share what they were doing at Bletchley Park
Kath left school at the age of 14 and attended commercial college before beginning secretarial work.
She started out as a fire watcher in the war, which involved patrolling rooftops to identify fires started by enemy aircrafts dropping bombs.
At 18 she received a letter to go to the Foreign Office for an interview in London, where she was given a typing test.
Two weeks later she received a letter telling her to attend Bletchley Park despite having little idea what she would be doing there.
“I decoded Morse code and passed it to the next person,” she said.
“I was a small cog in a big machine. I didn’t even tell my husband about my job until years later.”
Crown copyright/GCHQ
Both women said it has been “fantastic” to look back on their time at Bletchley Park during the last year.
It has made them realise how much respect people have for the codebreakers who helped to win the war, they added.
“Did I really contribute that much? People think so much of the people that worked at Bletchley Park,” said Kath.
“You didn’t think you were going to be so important. It’s all come as a surprise,” added Gwenfron.
Despite being so young, the women understood that you were “called up to do war service, and you just did it,” according to Gwenfron.
Eluned Morgan sat down with the codebreakers during an award ceremony in Neath
After the war Kath and Gwenfron went back to their normal lives working in local council and insurance respectively.
Gwenfron said it has made her “more cautious” and a “bit suspicious” after working at Bletchley Park.
“Maybe when I was young I wouldn’t give it a second thought, but I think it does change your attitude,” she added.
Kath said the war made her think “what could I have done to make things better”.
Kath received a certificate thanking her for her service during the war
The 101-year-olds are members of the Mother’s Union and discovered through the church network that their paths had crossed during the war.
Gwenfron said they are not planning too far ahead and will “take life as it comes”.
The First Minister, who joined the pair at St David’s Church in Neath, said it was an “honour to meet these extraordinary women”.
“Their story reminds us of the many unsung heroes who served in silence for decades,” she said.
“Kath and Gwenfron represent the very best of Welsh contribution to the war effort.”
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ARC Raiders Beta Faces Performance Hurdles On Consoles & PC, Resolution Drops To 1080p On PS5 Pro
ARC Raiders Beta Faces Performance Hurdles On Consoles & PC, Resolution Drops To 1080p On PS5 Pro
It’s an unproven trend at this point, but the new race toward live multiplayer games appear to be the genre of extraction shooters, and this week brought an unusual situation with two upcoming 2025 extraction games both running Closed Alphas and so far, eliciting different reactions.
The reaction to the Marathon Alpha has mostly been mixed to underwhelming. The initial reaction to the ARC Raiders Alpha has visibly skewed more positive.
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Looting in Gaza after two month long Israeli blockade
Looting in Gaza after two month long Israeli blockade
Warehouses in northern Gaza have been looted, including by armed groups, as desperation for supplies spikes after more than two months of Israel’s aid blockade, locals and aid workers say.
Organisations in Gaza and eyewitnesses say looting has continued for several nights by unidentified, armed and unarmed individuals.
They’ve broken into the warehouses of the United Nations, aid groups and commercial entities as well as bakeries and shops.
Israel has blocked any humanitarian aid from entering the territory since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended the ceasefire with ****** in March, throwing Gaza into what is believed to be the worst humanitarian crisis in nearly 19 months of war.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights previously warned that starving civilians, as a military tactic, constitutes a war crime.
Israel has said the blockade and its renewed military campaign are intended to pressure ****** to release the remaining 59 hostages it still holds and to disarm the ************ militant group.
Aid groups have warned that Gaza’s civilian population is facing starvation, and there is concern that the desperation could lead to a breakdown of law and order.
While there have been incidents of looting by armed gangs throughout the war, aid workers say this week’s incidents mark an escalation, with it being more splintered, less organised and reaching urban areas.
The ransacking in Gaza City began Wednesday evening after reports that aid trucks had entered the north from the south, said one aid worker who was not authorised to speak to the media.
A security report circulated among aid agencies that night, saying a group of armed people forcefully broke into a bakery driven by rumours of stored food supplies.
The storage was empty and the group moved to a soup kitchen affiliated with an international aid group in the Al-Shati camp and looted it, said the report.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency said its staff were safely evacuated after thousands of Palestinians breached its Gaza City field office Wednesday evening and took medications.
Louise Wateridge, a senior emergency officer at UNRWA, called the looting “the direct result of unbearable and prolonged deprivation”.
The ransacking continued through Friday night.
Three witnesses told the AP that dozens of armed men stormed into at least two UN warehouses, pushing past police and local security guards protecting the facilities.
“There were organised gangs,” said Ahmed Abu Awad, a resident of western Gaza City, where some of the looting took place.
Yahya Youssef, another witness, said he saw dozens of armed men on the streets in western Gaza City, in gunfights for two consecutive nights, with policemen and security forces that protect UN and aid groups’ facilities.
Both men said Israeli drones and aircraft were flying over the area while looting was underway.
An Israeli strike Friday night killed three people, including two tasked with guarding the area in western Gaza City and a child, said a statement from the ******-run interior ministry. Staff at Al-Shifa hospital, which received the bodies, also confirmed the deaths.
The Israeli military said it could not comment on the strike without being provided with the exact coordinates of the incident.
The Gaza Interior Ministry said on Saturday it killed six suspects and wounded 13 others with gunshots to the legs in the past two days over looting activities.
The ministry also enforced a night curfew starting on Friday in some of Gaza City’s main streets.
Israeli strikes on Gaza continued overnight Friday, leaving at least 17 people dead, including children, in the southern City of Khan Younis, according to hospital records.
Among the dead were 11 people from the same family, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies.
Another strike killed two newly married couples, said one of their families.
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Yes, ARC Raiders Makes Marathon Look Bad
Yes, ARC Raiders Makes Marathon Look Bad
Its an unproven trend at this point, but the new race toward live multiplayer games appear to be the genre of extraction shooters, and this week brought an unusual situation with two upcoming 2025 extraction games both running Closed Alphas and so far, eliciting different reactions.
The reaction to the Marathon Alpha has mostly been mixed to underwhelming. The initial reaction to the ARC Raiders Alpha has visibly skewed more positive.
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#ARC #Raiders #Marathon #Bad
Pelican News
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GTA 6 Could Really Use a Red Dead Redemption 2 NPC Feature That Weaponizes Immersion
GTA 6 Could Really Use a Red Dead Redemption 2 NPC Feature That Weaponizes Immersion
Rockstar’s games have always excelled at creating living, breathing worlds, but there’s a world of difference between how NPCs function in Grand Theft Auto versus Red Dead Redemption 2. While GTA‘s citizens scream, run, and then seemingly forget your crimes minutes later, RDR 2‘s inhabitants hold grudges, remember faces, and adapt to your reputation.
With yesterday’s announcement that GTA 6 has been delayed until May 2026 (collective eye-roll from fans), Rockstar now has extra development time to perfect their systems. This delay could be the perfect opportunity to implement one of RDR 2‘s most immersive features—NPCs with actual memory and adaptive behavior.
The question isn’t whether GTA 6 will look incredible or have a massive map—that’s practically guaranteed. The real question is whether Vice City’s citizens will finally remember you as the criminal you are, or if they’ll continue the series tradition of… “convenient amnesia.”
When NPCs remember more than your face
In Red Dead Redemption 2, NPCs don’t just exist as background decoration—they live their lives according to schedules and routines that feel eerily real. Shop owners open their stores in the morning, bartenders serve drinks at night, and farmers tend to their crops throughout the day. This isn’t just window dressing; it fundamentally changes how players interact with the world.
When Arthur Morgan commits a crime in Valentine, witnesses don’t just scream and run—they remember his face, his clothes, even his horse. Return days later wearing the same outfit, and NPCs might whisper about “that criminal” or alert the sheriff. This creates a ripple effect where actions have lasting consequences beyond the immediate “wanted level.”
GTA 6 could take this concept even further. Imagine robbing a convenience store, only to find it closed with a “Closed due to recent robbery” sign when you return. Or discovering increased police patrols in neighborhoods where you’ve caused trouble. Perhaps store owners might even invest in better security systems after being robbed, making future heists more challenging.
This would transform the game from a consequence-free playground into a world where your criminal reputation precedes you, forcing players to think strategically about when and where they create chaos. The delayed release gives Rockstar plenty of time to implement these systems properly.
Vice City’s citizens could finally get smart
The city of broken release dates. | Image Credit: Rockstar Games
The GTA 6 trailer confirmed we’re returning to Vice City, but with technology that’s light-years beyond what was possible in 2002.
It’s highly likely that NPCs in the new Vice City won’t just follow basic routines—they could have actual lives. Beach-goers might appear in business attire during weekdays, traffic could increase during rush hour, and crowd density might shift realistically between workdays and weekends.
– Homeless NPC on a sidewalk sees other NPCs pass by and starts asking them for money. pic.twitter.com/Wy08b86BmH
— GTA 6 Countdown (@GTAVI_Countdown) February 14, 2024
This level of simulation creates opportunities for truly revolutionary gameplay. Imagine a store clerk who not only remembers you robbed them but also describes your appearance to police, leading to wanted posters with your specific features. Or picture returning to a crime scene days later to find police tape, evidence markers, and detectives still investigating.
If you’re a notorious criminal, NPCs might start locking their car doors when you approach, running away before you even pull a weapon, or even attempting to apprehend you for the bounty on your head. Regular citizens might become more likely to carry weapons for self-defense in high-crime areas you’ve created.
This would fundamentally change how players approach the criminal sandbox. Instead of consequence-free mayhem, players would need to consider disguises, changing vehicles, or lying low in different neighborhoods—adding layers of strategy to the chaos Grand Theft Auto is famous for.
What do you think? Would you prefer GTA 6 to implement more realistic NPC behavior, or do you enjoy the consequence-free chaos of previous games? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Federal election 2025: Patrick Gorman wins back Perth seat for third term
Federal election 2025: Patrick Gorman wins back Perth seat for third term
Labor MP Patrick Gorman has retained his seat for another term as nearly a third of votes are counted for the Perth electorate.
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12 Reasons Retirement Advice From Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman May Not Work for You
12 Reasons Retirement Advice From Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman May Not Work for You
Preparing for retirement can be complicated. You must figure out how to maintain adequate insurance coverage, elect to receive Social Security payments and have enough cash to last for the rest of your life.
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It’s natural to seek expert guidance to feel confident you’re on the right track. Financial gurus Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman have much to say about retirement, and you might find some of their advice helpful.
However, some of their beliefs could be a total mismatch for your situation. Several certified financial planners (CFPs) weighed in on why retirement advice from Ramsey and Orman may not work for you.
Both of these experts offer some great advice, but that doesn’t mean it applies well to everyone.
Learn More: The Money You Need To Save Monthly To Retire Comfortably in Every State
Ramsey and Orman often speak in absolutes, advising that you should take a certain action regardless of your circumstances. Their blanket approach might be fine for some, but could be flat-out wrong for you.
Melissa Cox, owner of Future-Focused Wealth, championed Ramsey’s and Orman’s personal finance tenets for years, but her view of their policies changed.
“I started noticing that some of their advice just didn’t hold up in real life. Not because it was wrong, but because it was too rigid for the real world,” she said.
“We’re not all running the same financial race, and we’re definitely not running at the same pace. The beauty of financial planning is that every single client has a unique financial situation and doesn’t package easily into a box,” Cox explained.
Both popular personal finance advice givers typically advocate for delayed gratification: Live frugally now so you can retire comfortably later. While doing so may be financially prudent, it saps the present of its joy.
Lawrence Sprung, founder of Mitlin Financial, is adamant that your financial plan should factor in pleasure and fun. His mom passed away relatively young, never getting to experience retirement.
“Dave says, ‘Live like no one else now, so you can live like no one else later’. Why can’t we do both and plan for it?” Sprung said. “Joy should be something we are experiencing every day, not just putting off to a later date that we are hopeful to make [it to]. Many of us are not that lucky.”
Apart from the overall problems discussed above, the CFPs pointed out some potential issues with some of Ramsey’s specific guidance.
Being anti-debt is the cornerstone of Ramsey’s financial platform. However, his view can be extremely limiting.
“[Ramsey] does not delineate between ‘good or bad debt.’ In his eyes, it is all bad,” said Sprung.
Sprung believes you should be OK if you avoid taking on bad debt — often considered as credit card or other high-interest debt — and make your payments on time.
He said, “Make sure you budget for it and your plan stays on track, but you do not need to be debt-free before you experience joy in your life.”
Benjamin Simerly, founder of and wealth advisor at Lakehouse Family Wealth, added that avoiding debt can actually be problematic in some cases.
“When some of my clients ask if they should avoid a low-interest car loan and pull funds from investments to pay for the car instead, we have a disconnect,” he said.
Ramsey advocates for paying off your mortgage early — though it should be noted that he does acknowledge there are drawbacks.
Homeownership is part of the American Dream, and making that final mortgage payment is an exciting and happy milestone. However, prioritizing paying off your house over other financial goals could backfire.
“You can reach a point where you’re paying enough extra that you’re actually hurting your financial plan. At some point, the interest is mostly paid off on a mortgage, since mortgages front-load the interest. So, additional payments are essentially reducing what can be invested,” said Simerly.
Investing 15% of your income is one of those generic rules of thumb that have been circulating for quite a while. However, that amount doesn’t factor in your age, goals and other financial obligations.
“Telling everyone to invest 15% of [their] gross income is a helpful starting point, but not a plan. For someone starting late, 15% might be too little. For someone retiring early, it’s definitely not enough,” said Nick Davis, founder of Brindle & Bay Wealth Management.
“Meanwhile, if you’re in your 20s with limited income and student debt, it may not be realistic. Retirement saving needs to be personalized,” Davis added.
Just like your retirement savings amount, your investment strategy must be tailored to your situation. Generally, any investment can be good or bad depending on your risk tolerance, goals and other preferences.
“Ramsey often states he doesn’t like that ETFs (exchange-traded funds) are often used for day trading and other short-term goals. And he is correct,” said Simerly. “At the end of the day, it’s about picking the best fit for you, and often, high-quality funds can be found in similar versions in both ETFs and mutual funds for that very reason.”
You may have heard that it’s safe to withdraw 4% of your portfolio each year in retirement. Doing so can help ensure that you don’t outlive your money.
Ramsey said that, due to historical stock market performance, you can actually withdraw 8% each year and live a richer life without sacrificing security. He suggested that you stay 100% invested in stocks so that your cash continues to grow enough to keep pace with your spending.
Michelle Petrowski, founder of Being In Abundance, said there are two big issues with this strategy. “First, most folks probably don’t fully understand the level of risk they’re taking with a 100% stock portfolio.
“Second, there’s the concept of sequence risk — something that doesn’t get talked about enough. That’s the risk that your nest egg may not grow as expected — or worse, could shrink — if you experience negative market returns late in your working years or early in retirement,” she explained. “Selling off investments in a down market (at a loss) to cover living expenses can slow the growth of your nest egg — or worse, cause it to shrink far too fast,” said Petrowski.
You’ll get the largest possible Social Security payment each month if you delay claiming benefits until you reach full retirement age — 66 or 67, depending on your birth year. You can claim benefits as early as age 62, but that can reduce your monthly payment amount by up to 30% for life.
“For retirees with longer life expectancies, delaying until full retirement age can be one of the best ‘investments’ they make. Ramsey assumes people can cover the gap with their nest egg, but who wants to leave that guaranteed income on the table?” said Davis.
Long-term care (LTC) insurance can help you cover expensive care during your golden years, including nursing home stays. Ramsey suggests buying the coverage a few years before retirement, at age 60.
Davis said, “This isn’t exactly bad advice, but it’s definitely not universal. LTC insurance can be incredibly expensive and is not always the best solution. Some clients are better off self-insuring, while others may benefit more from hybrid policies. Like many of Ramsey’s rules, this is overly rigid for such a nuanced issue.”
The experts also pointed out some reasons Orman’s advice might not work for everyone.
Your avocado toast purchases or Starbucks runs can add up to a tidy sum. Orman believes you should skip them and invest the cash instead.
“Suze Orman speaks often about buying a $5 cup of coffee and the fact that if you gave that up and directed those funds to a Roth IRA or retirement account, you could be giving your retirement account a boost,” Sprung said. “Although this is true, many people derive joy from that cup of coffee, and if they have budgeted for it and they can afford it, I believe they should [have it].”
Orman’s stance on a safe withdrawal rate in retirement is the complete opposite of Ramsey’s. She encourages you to spend even less than the standard 4% rule.
Melissa Murphy Pavone, founder of Mindful Financial Partners, said the strategy “may be prudent for some, but overly conservative for others who have a solid income stream or want to spend more in their early retirement years, while they’re active and healthy.”
Orman also takes the opposite view to Ramsey regarding ETFs vs. mutual funds, favoring the former.
“[She] notes that ETFs often have lower fees than mutual funds and can provide some tax benefits over mutual funds, as well. And she is correct, given that the ETF in question is the right fit for your portfolio,” said Simerly.
However, “both ETFs and mutual funds can be a great fit for your portfolio,” he explained. “The best place to start is [asking] which format has the best of breed in the fund you want? More often than not, doing your research on the best fund of a particular type will answer the question for you on ETF vs. mutual fund.”
So, should you abandon Ramsey and Orman’s teachings entirely? Maybe not.
“Ramsey and Orman gave us a solid start. But at some point, we all have to stop following rules made for the ‘average person’ and start creating a plan that actually works for who we are and what matters most to us on a deeper level,” said Cox.
Pavone added, “Work with a fiduciary — ideally a CFP — who can assess your full financial picture and help you make decisions that support your long-term goals, not just someone else’s rules of thumb. Because at the end of the day, retirement isn’t just about numbers. It’s about the kind of life you want to live.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 12 Reasons Retirement Advice From Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman May Not Work for You
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Ubisoft Reportedly Has Plans for a ‘Mainline’ RPG Every 2-3 Years After Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Ubisoft Reportedly Has Plans for a ‘Mainline’ RPG Every 2-3 Years After Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Now that Assassin’s Creed Shadows has launched and made a strong impression, players are naturally turning their attention to what the next chapter for Ubisoft will be. Will it continue to ride the wave of its flagship franchise or try to branch out into new territory?
If the recent reports are anything to go by, Ubisoft isn’t slowing down; in fact, it’s just getting started. The publisher has reportedly mapped out a multi-year roadmap that includes the release of a new ‘mainline’ Assassin’s Creed RPG every two to three years.
Ubisoft looks to find a new rhythm for Assassin’s Creed
Following the positive reception of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which marked a return to form for many longtime fans, Ubisoft appears determined to maintain that momentum in the future (reported via InsiderGaming).
Rather than relying on annual releases as it once did, the company is moving to a more measured strategy that focuses on quality. Now, mainline RPGs in the franchise will arrive on a slower, more deliberate timeline, roughly every two to three years.
This will be accompanied by smaller-scale titles, remakes, and multiplayer games filling the gaps to keep players engaged. Shadows, which will reportedly have about two years of post-launch support, is the beginning of this new model.
This cadence not only ensures consistent player engagement but also provides development teams more time to innovate and refine. The goal is clear: build on the success of Shadows and establish a sustainable rhythm that balances quality with consistency.
All things considered, it’s a very smart choice, especially in contrast to the fatigue and uneven quality seen in some past releases. With a structured long-term vision in place, Ubisoft may be setting the stage for the strongest era of Assassin’s Creed yet.
A glimpse at what might come next
The roadmap is fully packed. | Image Credit: Ubisoft
If this roadmap is any indication, Ubisoft is clearly preparing to make Assassin’s Creed not just a recurring series, but a near-constant presence in gaming. With a clear strategy in place, it can certainly achieve that without creating fatigue for the hidden blade.
And while the beloved franchise takes center stage, it’s worth noting that the studio may have more in the pipeline. Recent teases and developments, particularly surrounding the Prince of Persia franchise, suggest that the company is revisiting some of its other beloved IPs.
If the critical success of The Lost Crown is anything to go by, there’s potential for a broader revival, built on both nostalgia and modern gameplay standards. And with a surprise update for Far Cry 4 dropping unexpectedly, it’s clear the studio still has a few tricks up its sleeve.
So, whether you’re a fan of sprawling historical RPGs, compact stealth adventures, memorable antagonists, or forgotten classics making a comeback, it’s a good time to be watching Ubisoft closely. Assassin’s Creed Shadows may be the latest chapter, but it’s far from the final one.
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Throngs of admirers fill an arena to get Warren Buffett's take on tariffs and Berkshire Hathaway – AP News
Throngs of admirers fill an arena to get Warren Buffett's take on tariffs and Berkshire Hathaway – AP News
Throngs of admirers fill an arena to get Warren Buffett’s take on tariffs and Berkshire Hathaway AP NewsWarren Buffett says ‘trade should not be a weapon’ at annual Berkshire meeting CNNWarren Buffett condemns Trump tariffs, calls for more trade as path to prosperity AxiosWarren Buffett, Mum So Far on the Trade War, Steps Up to the Mic WSJBuffett still believes in American exceptionalism – Follow Berkshire annual meeting moments here CNBC
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Intel Arc Xe3 Celestial GPU enters pre-validation stage
Intel Arc Xe3 Celestial GPU enters pre-validation stage
Intel’s next-generation Xe3 Celestial GPU reportedly enters the pre-silicon validation stage, when the GPU design and architecture are being tested using software models and emulators. The chip giant conducts this testing with OEMs and independent BIOS vendors so that they can catch issues before committing actual silicon. X user Haze spotted this development and saw some details related to Celestial in the LinkedIn profiles of some Intel employees.
One profile listed “Celestial discrete GPU Pcode IP model development” as one of theresponsibilities, detailing it as “Developed pre-silicon HW modeling for power management IP in Intel Xe3 architecture for discrete GPU Celestial team (C/C++)” and “Mapped 13% of boot/reboot signal pathways for functional pcode in Celestial power management IP model (fmodel), migrating those modeled in Ruby from the test environment to C/C++ in the IP model.”
Another person said they “developed low-level system software and device drivers in C++ for Intel’s Nova Lake & Xeon6 (Diamond Rapids) CPUs and Celestial discrete GPU.”
It seems that the pre-silicon model already has its firmware and power management ready, allowing Intel’s partners to start testing it virtually with their systems. Once every kink has been ironed out and is confirmed to be working as intended, the Xe3 design can proceed to tapeout, the final step before fabrication begins.
They cooking Intel Arc Celestial #IntelArc pic.twitter.com/A7s219tM1uMay 2, 2025
Intel Fellow Tom Petersen previously said that the architecture for the Xe3 Celestial had already been completed in December 2024, and its team has now moved on to working on Xe4 Druid. With this development, the GPU seems to be on track according to Intel’s GPU roadmap. If it does not encounter any major problems with the design and production of the graphics card, we might see Celestial enter production and be in the hands of gamers in around 12 to 18 months.
However, we don’t have any idea what these Celestial GPUs will be, as Intel has recently been pretty tight-lipped around its Arc graphics cards. Even though the B580 and B570 Battlemage GPUs, which use the BMG-G21 chip, launched with overwhelmingly positive feedback, we still haven’t heard any news about the arrival of higher-end Battlemage discrete GPUs that use the more powerful BMG-G31 silicon.
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2000 Guineas: Ruling Court wins Newmarket Classic for William Buick
2000 Guineas: Ruling Court wins Newmarket Classic for William Buick
Ruling Court won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket as he held off the fast-finishing Field Of Gold.
The 9-2 shot, trained for owners Godolphin by Charlie Appleby, was the pick of jockey William Buick and proved the right choice.
Stablemate Shadow Of Light led in the closing stages but eventually finished third with another Godolphin runner, Tornado Alert, in fourth.
“This feels great. He was so smooth throughout – he’s a special horse and his stamina shone through,” said Buick of the victor.
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Minecraft runs on 8MB of VRAM using a 20-year-old GPU
Minecraft runs on 8MB of VRAM using a 20-year-old GPU
Getting Minecraft to run on underperforming hardware might be the new Doom. Surely, the benchmark of a skilled gaming enthusiast lies in their ability to run this beloved game on unsupported hardware. Such is the case today, thanks to a recent video uploaded by a channel known as Budget-Builds Official. Using a 20-year-old GPU, they’ve successfully run a playable instance of Minecraft using just 8MB of VRAM.
If you want to play Minecraft and check out the most recent list of spec requirements, you’ll find that it needs Windows 10, at least 2GB of RAM, and an Intel HD Graphics 4000 card or an AMD Radeon R5 card. This setup, however, is put together on an old desktop running Windows XP. Not only that, it’s relying on a 3D Phantom XP-2800 GPU from Pine Technology, which was released in 2005 and features a chip inside that’s much older than leading GPUs at that time.
Budget-Builds Official quickly realized that if they were going to pull this off, some sacrifices would have to be made. This means running an older version of Minecraft rather than the latest edition. The game requires an x86 processor, and this rig uses an Athlon 64 CPU, which managed to fit the bill. This CPU needs a cooler to operate efficiently alongside the 3D Phantom XP-2800 card, so Budget-Builds was quick to install that before delving into the testing phase.
Minecraft on 8MB of VRAM! – YouTube
Watch On
The first test used Minecraft Alpha 1.2.6, which didn’t initially work. Investigation proved that the problem lay within the OpenGL side of the 3D Phantom XP-2800. Through a bit of work, however, it was discovered that Microsoft had some SiS drivers that would allow the card to display the game, but only when using a CRT monitor. After this update, Minecraft Alpha 1.2.6 was a go. But this was just the first test. According to Budget-Builds Official, the goal was to get an official release running rather than just the Alpha or Beta.
The next edition on the list to try was Minecraft 1.6.4, which managed to load at about one fps for 2 minutes before crashing. Budget-Builds Official decided to make some serious changes to the gameplay settings to maximize the playability. The game was playable by removing all of the effects (clouds, fog, and everything in between), turning off animations, lowering the resolution, and setting everything to the most minimal level possible. To help with the performance, the world server is running on a nearby laptop rather than on the machine itself. An 8×8 texture pack was also necessary to prevent the game from crashing.
Ultimately, this is one of those projects you put together because you can, not because you should—and we’re all for it. Budget-Builds Official has pushed the boundaries when it comes to running Minecraft.
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Activist Fivespan has a stake in Qiagen. Three levers to boost growth
Activist Fivespan has a stake in Qiagen. Three levers to boost growth
Company: Qiagen NV (QGEN)
Business: Qiagen NV is a holding company based in the Netherlands. The company provides “Sample to Insight” solutions that transform biological samples into molecular insights. These solutions integrate sample and assay technologies, bioinformatics and automation systems. Its sample technologies are used for isolating and preparing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA) and proteins from blood or other liquids, tissue, plants or other materials. Its assay technologies make these biomolecules visible for analysis, such as identifying the genetic information of a pathogen or a gene mutation in a tumor. Its bioinformatics solutions interpret data to provide actionable insights. Qiagen’s automation platforms based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), next-generation sequencing (NGS) and other technologies tie these together in molecular testing workflows from “Sample to Insight.”
Stock Market Value: $9.32B ($43.13 per share)
Activist: Fivespan Partners, LP
Ownership: n/a
Average Cost: n/a
Activist Commentary: Fivespan Partners, LP is a San Francisco-based investment firm founded by Dylan Haggart and Sarah Coyne. Prior to Fivespan, Haggart and Coyne were partners at ValueAct Capital and most of the investment team is from ValueAct. Fivespan, named after the unique five-stone arched bridge in Haggart’s hometown, views itself as a bridge between the market and companies. The firm prefers behind-the-scenes, collaborative and amicable activism, but it would resort to a proxy fight if it had no other choice. We believe that the firm would look for board seats in situations where it thinks it could add real value, but we do not expect Fivespan to pursue board representation as often as ValueAct does (i.e, roughly 50% of core portfolio positions). Haggart certainly has experience as a public company director. He served as a director of Seagate (2018 to the present) and Fiserv (2022 to 2024), at which he has delivered stellar returns over his tenures of 44.45% and 64.68%, respectively, versus 17.36% and 4.98% for the Russell 2000. Additionally, Haggart was an advisor to Seagate going back as far as 2016, over which time the company returned about 222%. Fivespan looks for high quality, idiosyncratic businesses with good, strategic assets. The firm does not advocate for the ***** of its portfolio companies as a primary activist strategy, but like companies that people want to own. Accordingly, many of the firm’s activist campaigns could end with a ***** of the company, providing two paths to shareholder value. The fund is a drawdown structure that holds investments for at least three to five years, aims to have six to eight investments at a time and averages $100 million to $300 million in each investment.
What’s happening
Fivespan Partners has built a position in Qiagen NV and has engaged in conversations with management.
Behind the scenes
Qiagen is a Netherlands-incorporated life sciences tools firm, dual-listed in the U.S. and Germany. The company provides sample technologies to isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins; assay technologies to prepare these biomolecules for analysis; and automation solutions to bring these processes together. The company has two primary end markets from which it derives a balanced share of its revenue: Molecular Diagnostics (health-care providers) and Life Sciences (pharma/biotech research and other lab applications). It operates in an extremely attractive and growing industry with high returns on invested capital (ROIC) and margins. Qiagen specifically enjoys a leading market position, has a great brand reputation and favorably derives about 90% of its sales from recurring consumables revenue, with the remainder from the ***** of its instruments and related services, a razor-razorblade model. Despite its dual-listing and European heritage, Qiagen’s chairman and CEO are based in the U.S., and it generated 52% of its FY24 sales in North America, 32% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and 16% in Asia.
Fivespan looks for high quality, idiosyncratic businesses with good, strategic assets, and Qiagen fits this thesis nicely – a high-quality health-care business in a growing industry with secular tailwinds. However, despite having a respected name and a strong market position, the company has struggled to create shareholder value post-Covid, delivering 1-, 3-, and 5-year returns of 1%, -6%, and 1%, respectively. While peers trade at around 15 times EV/EBITDA, and leaders like Danaher 20 times, Qiagen currently trades at around 13 times. This contrasts with the stock historically trading at a significant multiple to peers.
Management has done the hard things right: investing in R&D, listening to the customers, and protecting the company’s industry-leading brand, growing its topline at a 5.3% compound annual growth rate from 2019 to 2024. Now there is an opportunity to grow even faster and in a more focused manner. In an attempt to empire-build, Qiagen has lost sight of the core business, investing a lot in the diagnostics business and other ventures when the life sciences business has a superior return on invested capital. There are three levers to create shareholder value here. First, management should invest in and around its core business to accelerate growth. Moreover, they should not keep their plan a secret but communicate it better to the market. Second, Qiagen can be run a lot tighter, leaving room for margin expansion. Currently running at a 25% operating margin, a more disciplined approach could achieve operating margins upward of 30%. Third, Qiagen’s balance sheet could be optimized. Most of its peers have far more leverage and should, due to the recurring nature of the business, yet the company has $1.15 billion of cash and short-term investments, $1.39 billion of debt and no good acquisition targets on the horizon. By levering up, Qiagen could fund additional investments in its core business and buy back some of its own stock at attractive prices ahead of growth and margin improvements. It is not often that there are opportunities for both revenue growth and margin expansion at the same time. When you have a situation like that, it certainly makes sense to buy back your own shares ahead of it.
Based on its activist philosophies, we would expect that Fivespan has had a position in Qiagen for some time and has been trying to work with management behind the scenes. The firm is a quiet investor and does not publicize its positions (i.e., this is one of six current positions and the only one known publicly). We think the company may not be playing as amicably as Fivespan. An indication of this is that, perhaps in response to Fivespan’s engagement, the company recently pre-announced a beat for its Q1 results and raised expectations regarding its margins, targeting above 30% for the year and over 31% ahead of its 2028 timeline. Qiagen also put out a press release describing its product pipeline, nothing new per se, but a clear sea change in terms of its management of investor communications and proactive strategic planning. There are several ways this can go. Management can agree to embrace Fivespan, who is not advocating for any real controversial actions – growth and margin improvement, the same thing management wants. Management can ignore but placate the investor by taking actions consistent with the plan that results in shareholder appreciation. Or management can ignore the firm and continue down the same road with a flat stock price performance. Given that we do not expect that Fivespan will aggressively pursue a board seat here, we think the first option is preferable, the second is tolerable and the third is unacceptable. Often the tone of an activist campaign depends not on the activist, but the response of the company. This scenario could be a perfect example of that.
As mentioned before, Fivespan appreciates businesses with several paths to shareholder value, one of them being strategic transactions. Qiagen is a highly attractive asset. In fact, pre-Covid, the company held discussions with several suitors regarding a potential transaction. In 2020, they agreed to an improved offer of 43 euros per share from Thermo Fisher Scientific, but the deal ultimately collapsed after Thermo failed to reach the two-thirds tender offer threshold, in part due to a Covid-induced run-up in the share price and vocal shareholders like Davidson Kempner coming out against the deal. Today, the business is just as strong, if not stronger, and FY25 EPS is expected to come in higher than it was in 2020. A ***** is never Fivespan’s first choice when making an investment. The firm will focus on the operational and allocation improvements available to create shareholder value but evaluate that against any potential acquisition offer the company may receive and advocate for what it thinks is best for shareholders. With strategic and respected assets – and with the stock trading slightly below the previous offer price from five years ago – an unsolicited offer for the company is not outside of the realm of possibility.
Ken Squire is the founder and president of 13D Monitor, an institutional research service on shareholder activism, and the founder and portfolio manager of the 13D Activist Fund, a mutual fund that invests in a portfolio of activist 13D investments.
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The Interview
The Interview
Nada Tawfik speaks to Prince Harry about reconciliation with the royal family
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There’s Still Something So Special About The Dungeons In Oblivion
There’s Still Something So Special About The Dungeons In Oblivion
“It really happened! The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered has been released! Developed by Bethesda Game Studios and Virtuos, it is available right now for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. The base game includes all of the old DLCs that are available for the original version of the game. However, there is also a Digital Deluxe Edition that features quests for new armour and weapons, as well as a digital artbook and the game’s soundtrack!” Charlie @ Thumb Culture
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*********** election 2025: Critical mistakes, policy backflip led to Peter Dutton’s demise
*********** election 2025: Critical mistakes, policy backflip led to Peter Dutton’s demise
While Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton started the five week campaign on an equal footing, things quickly fell apart for the Coalition.
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Friendship With Marathon Ended, Arc Raiders Is My New Best Friend
Friendship With Marathon Ended, Arc Raiders Is My New Best Friend
Michiel198923h ago
I saw a test that they did with women who went into a job interview. They gave them artificial scars and let them see it before they went it. They then did the final touches on the scars and let the women go in. All of the women complained that they were being judged on their facial disfigurement and even said they made direct remarks on it.
Turned out they remove the scars right when they touched them up. If you’re looking for something negative you will find it if that’s your mindset from the get go.
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Floridians are stuck with aging condos they can’t sell. Will a new law aiming to bring them some relief help?
Floridians are stuck with aging condos they can’t sell. Will a new law aiming to bring them some relief help?
Lynn Knittel-Bruk wasn’t expecting a financial fever dream when she inherited a condo in Lake Worth, Fla., from her late aunt.
Agents suggested the unit would fetch between $175,000 and $220,000. But when she listed it last summer, buyer interest was tepid, and she found herself competing with dozens of other units for ***** in the same complex. As the condo racked up days on market, she was footing the bill for monthly association fees that swelled to close to $800 a month, plus a mortgage payment.
Seven months and one Realtor switch later, the condo finally sold in February for around $90,000. Had the process taken any longer, Knittel-Bruk, 65, said she was prepared to give the unit back to the bank.
“It was an absolute nightmare,” Knittel-Bruk said. “I had no idea that inheriting a condo was actually going to cost me money.”
Throughout the state, condo owners, especially those in older buildings, are increasingly finding themselves in similar situations. Condo and townhome inventory across Florida has surged 35% since March 2024, and few buyers have emerged even as sellers slash prices.
Median sales prices are down 4.5%, to $315,000, since March 2024, according to Florida Realtors data. Units are also taking longer to sell — more than three months on average — and the total number of units sold is down more than 9% from a year earlier.
The current market correction comes as migration into Florida is slowing, and potential buyers face high mortgage rates and burgeoning insurance costs. But the crux of the issue traces back to the 2021 collapse of a 40-year-old condo building in the Miami suburb of Surfside, Fla., that killed 98 people.
A federal investigation into the cause of the collapse is still ongoing, but preliminary reports suggest that construction flaws that left the structure out of compliance with building codes played a role. A 2018 building inspection found “significant” concrete cracks that required extensive repairs. At the time of the collapse, the concrete restoration work hadn’t started.
In the years since the collapse, the Florida legislature passed sweeping reforms designed to prevent another Surfside disaster. The new laws required major inspections for most condo buildings over 30 years old, and mandated the repair of any structural issues those inspections revealed. The legislation also required condo associations to beef up the reserve funds that cover routine maintenance like roof repairs and elevator upkeep.
Investigation ongoing: Rescue personnel work at the remains of the Champlain Towers South condo building, June 25, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) · ASSOCIATED PRESS
The changes had near-instant financial implications for thousands of buildings across the state. Much of Florida’s condo stock was constructed before the 1990s, and many buildings lack adequate reserves. Historically, condo boards could easily vote to waive or reduce monthly dues meant to fund repairs. Many did so in an effort to keep fees low for owners.
Story Continues
Now, the days of cheap dues are over. Getting into compliance with the new laws has forced many condo boards to hike fees and levy steep special assessments to pay for major repairs. In many parts of the state, HOA fees rose by double-digit percentages between late 2023 and early 2025, according to Redfin. In several coastal communities like the Gulf Coast city of Naples, average fees now exceed $1,000 a month.
Facing those higher costs, some owners are opting to sell. But because few buyers are eager to take over those payments, sales prices have fallen dramatically.
In Delray Beach, north of Fort Lauderdale, a part of the state where more than 80% of condos are more than 30 years old, real estate agent Paul Lykins has witnessed the price correction firsthand. He sold Knittel-Bruk’s condo, and has other listings that are lingering on the market. He and a prospective buyer recently toured a unit that had been cut to $230,000 after 46 days on the market. Its initial list price was $285,000.
“We’re just seeing price drop after price drop,” Lykins said. “I think a lot of people are nervous about buying condos right now. They take care of one assessment, but then is there another assessment around the corner?”
Read more: What is an HOA transfer fee, and who pays for it?
The assessments and higher fees can be particularly untenable for middle and working-class owners and retirees who rely on fixed incomes, and their stress has caught the attention of Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers.
This week, the Florida legislature unanimously passed a bill designed to ease some of the pressure on owners. The legislation gives condos more time to complete reserve studies, and will let associations take out credit lines and invest their reserves to fund repairs. Reserve fund contributions can also be temporarily paused after buildings complete their milestone inspections, which are required when a building turns 30.
Jose Pazos, founder and chief executive officer of A-Smart Cam, which provides administrative services to condo associations in South Florida, thinks the new law should provide some relief for beleaguered owners, but the effects may be limited. Credit lines should help condo boards quickly meet legal requirements for higher reserves, but it’s unclear how many banks will be willing to provide them, he said. And the reserve contribution pause applies to some, but not all, expected repairs that turn up in a milestone inspection.
At many of the condos he helps manage, most of which are older, fees for owners have doubled or tripled in recent years.
“It’s very nuanced,” Pazos said. “How much relief is it going to give to that doubling or tripling? The repairs still have to get done.”
Florida legislators have acknowledged this much. Rep. Vicki Lopez, a Miami-area Republican who sponsored the new legislation and has been dubbed the “Condo Queen” by colleagues for her focus on the issue, said Wednesday during debate on the bill that she plans to continue working on it.
“I think all of you know how complex this issue really is,” Lopez told fellow legislators just before the bill passed. “We have strived to reach that delicate balance between the safety of our constituents that live in condominiums as well as understanding the incredible financial impact that sometimes these particular bills that we pass have.”
Jeff Lichtenstein, president and founder of Echo Fine Properties in Palm Beach Gardens, thinks the market for older condos will eventually find its footing. He expects buyers to come back once they have a clearer picture of a building’s structural health and condo boards have improved their reserves.
“People don’t buy when there’s uncertainty,” Lichtenstein said. “Sometimes the uncertainty lowers the price more than it should.”
But there could be more pain to come in the years ahead as buildings continue the long process of making repairs and shoring up reserves.
“The day might be two or three years from now, or five years,” Lichtenstein said. “I don’t know.”
Claire Boston is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance covering housing, mortgages, and home insurance.
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Nigel Farage hails Reform ***'s 'unprecedented' election results – BBC
Nigel Farage hails Reform ***'s 'unprecedented' election results – BBC
Nigel Farage hails Reform ***’s ‘unprecedented’ election results BBCFarage’s Reform *** beats out establishment parties in ‘earthquake’ elections Fox NewsLabour and Tories hunt for a way to counter Farage’s Reform Financial Times’Not Labour enough’: MPs’ despair at voters’ verdict on government BBCLocal elections live: Farage hails ‘end of two-party politics’ The Independent
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