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Overall, the unveiling of Xiang Zuo's final hairstyle, masterfully crafted by Xiaohua, stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, creativity, and innovation in the world of celebrity hairstyling. With 67 million viewers tuning in to witness the transformation, it is clear that the impact of a well-executed hairstyle can transcend borders and captivate the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide.As the clock winded down and the score remained tied, tension filled the air in the arena. The Red Team, led by the experienced Edwards, was determined to secure a victory, while the Blue Team was equally determined to defend their lead. It was in this high-pressure situation that Peyton's defensive skills were put to the test.As players engage in intense battles and strategic duels, they will discover the true power of their spirits. By honing their skills, mastering new tactics, and forging alliances with fellow players, they can overcome any obstacle that stands in their way. "Play Your Spirit: The Brave Souls" is more than just a game – it is a test of courage, perseverance, and the unyielding strength of the human spirit.
South Korean football legend, Hong Myung-bo, has come out in defense of Son Heung-min, emphasizing the crucial role the talented forward continues to play for both Tottenham Hotspur and the national team. Despite recent criticism and speculations regarding his form and future, Hong Myung-bo firmly believes that Son remains an indispensable asset for both club and country.
U-Haul Purchases Phoenix’s 3rd Tallest Skyscraper, Reveals Plans for 20 E. Thomas RoadRosen Law Firm Urges Zeta Global Holdings Corp. (NYSE: ZETA) Stockholders with Large Losses to Contact the Firm for Information About Their Rights
As news of the signing spread, fans and pundits alike have been quick to praise Manchester United for their continued investment in youth development and talented young players. Many have highlighted the club's commitment to nurturing young talent and providing them with the opportunities to succeed at the highest level of the game.
Prosecutors with a special international court in The Hague on Friday charged Kosovo's former president Hashim Thaci, who is on trial for war crimes, with obstruction and contempt of court. Thaci "has been charged with three counts of obstruction of official persons in performing official duties, four counts of violating secrecy of proceedings and four counts of contempt of court", said a statement released by prosecutors. A separate statement by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) in The Hague said, "the indictment charges the accused with offences related to alleged unlawful efforts to influence witness testimonies in the Thaci et al war crimes trial". Four others were charged with Thaci, including the former head of Kosovo's intelligence agency Bashkim Smakaj and Hajredin Kuci, who previously served as deputy prime minister and justice minister. According to the court statement, Thaci provided the four with confidential information about the prosecution's witnesses and had "instructed them to influence" their testimonies. Thaci is set to appear in a public hearing connected with the new charges on Sunday. The KSC is a court located in The Hague to prosecute mainly former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fighters for war crimes. Among them is former KLA commander Thaci, who dominated Kosovo's politics after it declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and rose to become president. Thaci resigned from the presidency in late 2020 to face war crimes and crimes against humanity charges, and has pleaded not guilty. Thaci is widely seen as a guerilla hero in Kosovo, but prosecutors said he openly oversaw a brutal reign of violence as the ethnic Albanian KLA tried to tighten their grip on power during and after the war. The Kosovo war, the last of the 1990s conflicts that tore apart the former Yugoslavia, claimed some 13,000 lives. It ended after a NATO bombing campaign forced Serb forces to withdraw. Dubbed the "George Washington of Kosovo" by then-US vice president Joe Biden, Thaci was the young nation's first prime minister after it declared independence from Serbia in 2008. But he has long been dogged by allegations of crimes during and after the war, along with accusations of corruption in Kosovo, where KLA commanders retain key roles in public life. The KSC was set up in 2015 after a 2010 Council of Europe report linked Thaci to organised crime during and after the war. International tensions remain high over Kosovo, which has been recognised by many Western countries but not by Serbia, Russia or China. bur-ih-ds/jhbIn conclusion, the raising of opposition flags at the Syrian Embassy in Russia is a poignant and thought-provoking action that reflects the deep-seated complexities of the Syrian conflict and the delicate balance of power and alliances that shape the region's future. It is a symbol of hope, courage, and the enduring quest for peace in a land ravaged by violence and strife.How Trump’s bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes
'Billionaire' Selena Gomez marks major milestone amid whirlwind year
The Greenfield High School cooperative hockey team will be holding its annual Fill-A-Skate fundraising drive on Friday, Nov. 29 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The fundraiser will take place at the intersection of Main and Federal Streets in Greenfield. The Greenfield hockey co-op is primarily a self-funded team consisting of student athletes from most of the high schools in Franklin County. The Greenfield Public School system does not charge a player fee and as a policy does not allow a student athlete to pay any sort of fee to participate in any sport. That allows all students to participate in any sport regardless of economic circumstances. The Fill-A-Skate fundraiser is very important to the viability of this program. The team asks that the public come out and support the student athletes. The public’s support is greatly appreciated. FCHA programs Registration is open for Learn to Skate and Learn to Play Hockey programs, offered by the Franklin County Hockey Association. The programs are free to all that sign up, made possible by the FCHA’s partnership with Gagne Wealth Management Group. FCHA can also provide all the equipment needed at no cost to the player. Learn to skate program starts Dec, 7 at 11 a.m., and will run every Saturday through March 1, 2025. Article continues after... Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess Learn to play hockey program starts Dec. 7 at 10:10 a.m., and will run every Saturday at 10:10 a.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. through March 9, 2025. For more information or to sign up, visit fcha.org. Greenfield Elks Hoop Shoot The Greenfield Elks Hoop Shoot is fast approaching once again. The event is open to boys and girls ages 8-13 (as of April 1, 2025). It will be held at Franklin County’s YMCA in Greenfield on Saturday, Dec. 14. Registration is at 9 a.m., and the contest will begin at 10 a.m. For more information, contact Mike Blanchard (mikeblanchard78@gmail.com). Shelburne Falls results The Shelburne Falls Bowling Alley high score results for the week ending Nov. 22 are as follows: Sunday Scotch Doubles – High Single- Jon Hall & Chris Rice 118; High Triple- Jon Hall & Chris Rice 333. Monday Mixed League – Women’s High Single- Marilyn Wilson 115; Women’s High Triple- Marilyn Wilson 303. Men’s High Single- Kyle Leger and Randy Heminger 112; Men’s High Triple- Nick Brown 319. Tuesday Mixed League – Women’s High Single- Mindy Goodin 111; Women’s High Triple- Nancy Purington 293. Men’s High Single- Anthony Gutierrez 114; Men’s High Triple- Steve Gorman 307. Wednesday Mixed League – Women’s High Single- Robin Clark 128; Women’s High Triple- Robin Clark 319.Daniel Jones is reportedly getting closer to picking a new team after his New York Giants release last week. Per NFL insider Josina Anderson , Jones has "zeroed on a 'leading' choice" and a high-ranking league source said their understanding is that Jones "is telling teams tomorrow." Anderson also noted that the Las Vegas Raiders are interested in Jones after starting quarterback Gardner Minshew broke his collarbone on Sunday. Earlier this week, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that 10 teams have reached out to Jones and one of those teams could give him a chance to be a starter, though he didn't name that team. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings "are two of the likeliest teams to land" Jones while also noting that Jones prefers to sign with a playoff contender. If a playoff contender is what Jones is looking for, he likely wouldn't opt to join the Raiders, who lost their seventh straight game on Sunday to drop to 2-9 on the year. While Las Vegas would likely give him the chance to go in and start immediately, the Raiders are far from the playoff team that Jones is looking for. The Vikings and Ravens are both playoff contenders, but Jones would almost certainly be the backup for either of those teams. Sam Darnold, who stepped up as Minnesota's starter after rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury before the season, has been solid. Lamar Jackson is once again in MVP form for Baltimore, so he's not losing his spot as the starter anytime soon. Jones threw for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions before being benched in New York. It has been far from his best season, but he put up solid numbers behind a bad offensive line. He's now looking to get a fresh start in his sixth season, and he could have his new team soon.
The news of Liverpool's decision to extend Salah's contract has been met with widespread acclaim and excitement among fans and pundits alike. With his current deal set to expire in 2023, there were concerns that Salah could potentially leave the club if a new agreement was not reached. However, Liverpool's swift action in offering him a new contract demonstrates their commitment to keeping their top players and building for a successful future.
On the attacking front, K77 has caught the eye of Liverpool scouts with his lightning-fast pace and clinical finishing. His ability to create goal-scoring opportunities out of seemingly impossible situations has drawn comparisons to Salah himself. If Liverpool manages to secure his signature, K77 could provide the attacking threat needed to make up for Salah's potential absence.
Title: "Suicide Squad: Official Announcement of Hiatus! Season Four to Be Final Update"NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records Friday after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation . The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 123.19 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.8% to set its own record. The quiet trading came after the latest jobs report came in mixed enough to strengthen traders’ expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again at its next meeting in two weeks. The report showed U.S. employers hired more workers than expected last month, but it also said the unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked up to 4.2% from 4.1%. “This print doesn’t kill the holiday spirit and the Fed remains on track to deliver a cut in December,” according to Lindsay Rosner, head of multi-sector investing within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to offer more help for the slowing job market, after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower interest rates can ease the brakes off the economy, but they can also offer more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts from the Fed have been a major reason the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times so far this year. And the Fed is part of a global surge: 62 central banks have lowered rates in the past three months, the most since 2020, according to Michael Hartnett and other strategists at Bank of America. Still, the jobs report may have included some notes of caution for Fed officials underneath the surface. Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, pointed to average wages for workers last month, which were a touch stronger than economists expected. While that’s good news for workers who would always like to make more, it could keep upward pressure on inflation. “This report tells the Fed that they still need to be careful as sticky housing/shelter/wage data shows that it won’t be easy to engineer meaningfully lower inflation from here in the nearer term,” Wren said. So, while traders are betting on an 85% probability the Fed will ease its main rate in two weeks, they’re much less certain about how many more cuts it will deliver next year, according to data from CME Group. For now, the hope is that the job market can help U.S. shoppers continue to spend and keep the U.S. economy out of a recession that had earlier seemed inevitable after the Fed began hiking interest rates swiftly to crush inflation. Several retailers offered encouragement after delivering better-than-expected results for the latest quarter. Ulta Beauty rallied 9% after topping expectations for both profit and revenue. The opening of new stores helped boost its revenue, and it raised the bottom end of its forecasted range for sales over this full year. Lululemon stretched 15.9% higher following its own profit report. It said stronger sales outside the United States helped it in particular, and its earnings topped analysts’ expectations. Retailers overall have been offering mixed signals on how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain amid the slowing job market and still-high prices. Target gave a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season, for example, while Walmart gave a much more encouraging outlook. A report on Friday suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers may be improving more than economists expected. The preliminary reading from the University of Michigan’s survey hit its highest level in seven months. The survey found a surge in buying for some products as consumers tried to get ahead of possible increases in price due to higher tariffs that President-elect Donald Trump has threatened. In tech, Hewlett Packard Enterprise jumped 10.6% for one of the S&P 500’s larger gains after reporting stronger profit and revenue than expected. Tech stocks were some of the market’s strongest this week, as Salesforce and other big companies talked up how much of a boost they’re getting from the artificial-intelligence boom. All told, the S&P 500 rose 15.16 points to 6,090.27. The Dow dipped 123.19 to 44,642.52, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 159.05 to 19,859.77. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.15% from 4.18% late Thursday. In stock markets abroad, France’s CAC 40 rose 1.3% after French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to stay in office until the end of his term and to name a new prime minister within days. Earlier this week, far-right and left-wing lawmakers approved a no-confidence motion due to budget disputes, forcing Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet to resign. In Asia, stock indexes were mixed. They rallied 1.6% in Hong Kong and 1% in Shanghai ahead of an annual economic policy meeting scheduled for next week. South Korea’s Kospi dropped 0.6% as South Korea’s ruling party chief showed support for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol after he declared martial law and then revoked that earlier this week. Yoon is facing calls to resign and may be impeached. Bitcoin was sitting near $101,500 after briefly bursting above $103,000 to a record the day before. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.
PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron expressed “gratitude” Saturday to those who saved, helped and rebuilt Notre Dame Cathedral. “I stand before you ... to express the gratitude of the French nation,” Macron said at the reopening ceremony. “Tonight, the bells of Notre Dame are ringing again. And in a moment, the organ will awaken,” sending the “music of hope” to Parisians, France and the world. Macron spoke in front of 1,500 guests invited to celebrate the restoration of Paris’ 12th-century cathedral which was nearly destroyed by a fire in 2019. They included world leaders like President-elect Donald Trump , U.S. first lady Jill Biden, Britain’s Prince William and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. PARIS (AP) — Howling winds couldn’t stop Notre Dame Cathedral ’s heart from beating again. With three resounding knocks on its doors by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, wielding a specially designed crosier carved from fire-scorched beams, the monument roared back to life Saturday evening. For the first time since a devastating blaze nearly destroyed it in 2019, the towering Gothic masterpiece reopened for worship, its rebirth marked by song, prayer, and awe beneath its soaring arches. The ceremony, initially planned to begin on the forecourt, was moved entirely inside due to unusually fierce December winds sweeping across the Île de la Cité, flanked by the River Seine. Yet the occasion lost none of its splendor. Inside the luminous nave, choirs sang psalms, and the cathedral’s mighty organ, silent for nearly five years, thundered to life in a triumphant interplay of melodies. The restoration, a spectacular achievement in just five years for a structure that took nearly two centuries to build, is seen as a moment of triumph for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline — and a welcome respite from his domestic political woes . The evening’s celebration, attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, underscored Notre Dame’s enduring role as both a spiritual and cultural beacon. Observers see the event as Macron's, and his intention to pivot it into a fully fledged diplomatic gathering, while highlighting France’s ability to unite on the global stage despite internal political crises. Inside, 42,000 square meters of stonework — an area equal to six soccer pitches — were meticulously cleaned, revealing luminous limestone and intricate carvings. Overhead, 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed “the forest,” were used to rebuild the spire and roof, restoring the cathedral’s iconic silhouette. The thunderous great organ, with 7,952 pipes ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide, resounded for the first time since the fire. Its newly renovated console, boasting five keyboards, 115 stops, and 30 foot pedals, was a marvel of restoration, reawakening a cornerstone of Notre Dame’s identity. Guests gradually filing into the cathedral for the evening reopening ceremonies were awestruck by the renovated interiors, many whipping out cellphones to capture the moment. “It’s a sense of perfection,” said François Le Page of the Notre Dame Foundation, which raised nearly half of the €900 million ($950 million) in donations for the restoration. He last visited in 2021, when the cathedral was cloaked in scaffolding. “It was somber,” he said. “It’s night and day.” The Rev. Andriy Morkvas, a Ukrainian pastor who leads the Volodymyr Le Grand church in Paris, reflected on his first visit to Notre Dame in over a decade. “I didn’t recognize it,” he said. “God is very powerful; He can change things.” He expressed hope that the cathedral’s revival could inspire peace in his homeland, drawing strength from the presence of Ukraine’s president. “I think that will have a big impact,” he said. “I hope Notre Dame and Mary will help us resolve this conflict.” The reopening of Notre Dame comes at a time of profound global unrest, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ “It is a magnificent symbol of unity,” Dumas said. “Notre Dame is not just a French monument—it is a magnificent sign of hope.” The international range of dignitaries coming to Paris underline the cathedral’s significance as a symbol of shared heritage and peace. Canadian visitor Noelle Alexandria, who had traveled to Paris for the reopening, was struck by the cathedral’s ability to inspire. “She’s been nearly ruined before, but she always comes back,” Alexandria said. “Not many of us could say the same after such tragedy, but Notre Dame can.” Guests entered through Notre Dame’s iconic western façade, whose arched portals adorned with biblical carvings were once a visual guide for medieval believers. Above the central Portal of the Last Judgment, the Archangel Michael is depicted weighing souls, as demons attempt to tip the scales. These stone figures, designed to inspire both awe and fear, set the stage for a ceremony steeped in history. Inside, the hum of hundreds of guests awaiting the service filled the cathedral with human sounds once more — a stark contrast to the construction din that echoed there for years. Tuners restoring the great organ often worked through the night to find the silence needed to perfect its 7,952 pipes, ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide. Notre Dame echoed to the sound of a sustained standing ovation after the showing of a short movie that documented the gargantuan rebuilding effort. Outside, the word “MERCI” — thank you — was projected against the cathedral’s iconic western facade. The movie showed the terrible wounds left by the inferno — the gaping holes torn into its vaulted ceilings and the burned roof. But that was followed by images of all types of artisans, many using traditional handicraft techniques, who collectively restored Notre Dame to look better now than ever. "We went from night to light," said one of the workers in the movie. The celebration is expected to give a much-needed boost to embattled Macron, whose prime minister was ousted this week , plunging the nation’s politics into more turmoil. The French president, who has called Notre Dame's reopening “a jolt of hope,” will address the gathering. He had hoped the occasion would briefly silence his critics and showcase France’s unity and resilience under his leadership. Macron's presidency now faces its gravest crisis after the government's collapse this week in a historic no-confidence vote that toppled Prime Minister Michel Barnier. The vote followed months of political gridlock after snap elections in June. Calls are now growing louder from opposition forces for Macron to resign. But he vowed Thursday to remain in office until the end of his term in 2027, and said he'll name a new prime minister within days. As France struggles with economic woes and social unrest, Notre Dame's rebirth celebrations form a stark contrast. Security will be high through the weekend, echoing measures taken during the Paris Olympics earlier this year. The Île de la Cité — the small island in the River Seine that is home to Notre Dame and the historic heart of Paris— is closed to tourists and non-residents. Police vans and barriers blocked cobblestoned streets in a large perimeter around the island, while soldiers in thick body armor and sniffer dogs patrolled embankments. A special security detail is following Trump. Public viewing areas along the Seine’s southern bank will accommodate 40,000 spectators, who can follow the celebrations on large screens. For many, Notre Dame’s rebirth is not just a French achievement but a global one — after the reopening, the cathedral is set to welcome 15 million visitors annually, up from 12 million before the fire. Sylvie Corbet, Yesica Brumec, Marine Lesprit and Mark Carlson in Paris contributed. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through The AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.Barrister cleared of misconduct calls on head of Bar Standards Board to resignSome Canadian seniors say they're feeling abandoned by the Liberal government's latest inflation relief measure after learning they don't qualify for it. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that his government would send $250 cheques to the 18.7 million people in Canada who worked in 2023 and earned $150,000 or less. Those cheques, which the government is calling the "Working Canadians Rebate," are expected to be delivered in "early spring 2025," Trudeau said. Anyone who was not working in 2023, such as people who were retired or receiving social assistance, are ineligible. The $250 cheques will cost about $4.68 billion, a Finance official told CBC News. Trudeau government to send $250 cheques to most people, slash GST on some goods What the GST holiday means for consumers — and why some economists are worried Neil Pierce, a 69-year-old Edmonton resident, called the cheques a "political handout." He said he is "astonished" that the federal government plans on giving "money to people who were working and, in some cases, making an awful lot of money." Neil Pierce, 69, said he was 'astonished' to learn who is eligible for the payments. (Submitted by Neil Pierce) As a retiree and recipient of Old Age Security (OAS) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payments, Pierce is ineligible for the cheque. "I feel that a lot of us are left behind through this announcement," he said. "The rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer as a result." Pierce said his 99-year-old mother, who also receives CPP and OAS payments, was "excited" when she first heard the news but was disappointed when he explained to her that she wouldn't get a cheque. Elizabeth Mary Donlevy — a 93-year-old from Woodstock, Ont. — said she was "incensed" after hearing the prime minister say the measure would apply only to Canadians working last year. "Every time I think about this, I think of the discrimination that goes on constantly against seniors," she said. "He's penalizing people for being over 65." Donlevy said the announcement suggests seniors should be "out there working on getting a living so that we are eligible for his largesse." She said that for some seniors on fixed incomes, $250 "would mean a whole lot," while people with six-figure incomes might it for granted. "If they make that amount of money ... I admire them and I hope they get everything they can, but it shouldn't be at the expense of seniors," she said. Steven Laperrière, general manager of Regroupement des activistes pour l'inclusion au Québec (RAPLIQ) — a Montreal-based advocacy group for people with disabilities — said he has "mixed emotions" about the program because a lot of vulnerable people won't be eligible. "You're stigmatizing them a little bit further," he said. "And it's very frustrating to interpret it like that, but that's how they're receiving this." "You're telling them, 'Well, sorry guys ... it's not your fault you can't work or you're not finding any work because of your disability, but you cannot have that cheque.'" Cheques meant to 'recognize hardworking' Canadians: PM NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Thursday that his party will support the affordability measures and work with the Liberals to temporarily lift the logjam in Parliament to get the bill through. That didn't stop New Democrat Peter Julian, MP for Westminster—Burnaby, from criticizing the measure during question period on Friday after asking why some vulnerable people would be excluded. "The Liberals' new plan misses the mark," he said. "Liberals are letting people on fixed incomes down yet again." WATCH | Trudeau says government isn't reducing programs for most vulnerable : Trudeau asked why $250 cheques only going to working Canadians 5 hours ago Duration 2:02 Defending his latest affordability plan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked why groups of people, like some retirees, will not be receiving $250 stimulus cheques. Trudeau said the newest measure is about saying thank you to working, middle-class Canadians. At a news conference Friday afternoon in Brampton, Ont., Trudeau said his government has been "extraordinarily present in helping the most vulnerable Canadians," citing a 10 per cent increase to OAS and an increase to the Canada child benefit. He said he regularly hears from working Canadians who are struggling to make ends meet. "We're not reducing any of the other programs we're delivering to the most vulnerable but recognizing hardworking Canadians," he said. "It's about seeing Canadians as the hardworking nation-builders they are and giving them that support that they need at this time of challenge."
I start most days by reading the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The WSJ has been my favorite newspaper to read for nearly 30 years. Its regular reporting is well-written and informative. Its op-eds are often provocative but also well-worth reading. But a week ago, I read an opinion piece from a long time WSJ opinion columnist titled “How Mexico Missed the Nearshoring Boom,” and I almost fell out of my chair. The columnist is one whose work I have read diligently for over a decade, and who I respect for her opinions and perspectives on Latin America. But this particular column’s thesis of a “missed opportunity” was, to me, totally incorrect. A review of key nearshoring and export data would make it hard to conclude that the opportunity has been missed: These numbers present the real story, show a clear trend, and provide no evidence of a “missed opportunity.” In fact, if the next U.S. administration enacts a 60% tariff on China as has been suggested, then Mexico could become even more attractive and further increase its leading position in exports to the United States. As Mexico News Daily has frequently reported, business leaders on the ground in Mexico insist that the nearshoring boom is real , that it is in fact happening, and that there is much more impact yet to come. More importantly, the results of many companies show just how real the trends are. Sales of many export-oriented companies are growing double digits, profits are increasing, and many of those companies are making significant investments in plants, equipment and people to continue driving growth in the years to come. Industrial parks are at record low levels of occupancy and new ones are being built throughout the country. That is precisely why it’s so important to listen to business leaders on issues like these, hear firsthand what they are doing, and look beyond the political rhetoric. Business leaders make decisions that involve money and often long-term investments, so observing their actions matters. There is, of course, much uncertainty on the horizon for global trade flows and manufacturing plans given the promises of significant tariffs coming soon from the Trump administration — and Mexico will most certainly be impacted. But it’s hard to not see this uncertainty having an even more significant impact on China, which should only make Mexico even more attractive as a nearshoring destination. Mexico has and always will have geography in its favor, and its cost of labor, workforce skills and productivity levels are globally competitive. The nearshoring boom has not had as large an impact as quickly as had been hoped for Mexico, but I think it’s important to recognize that such significant changes in supply chain strategy often take time. Many companies spent the last several decades moving manufacturing to Asian countries, so it is reasonable to expect that changes in a company’s manufacturing footprint do not happen overnight. It is also likely that many companies were waiting for more clarity on the Mexican elections, the U.S. elections and potential trade policy changes. With some of those big questions resolved, it seems reasonable to expect that things will now begin to move faster. Mexico, despite its imperfections, has shown to be a consistent and reliable destination for investment for many years. I personally think that we are still in the early innings of what will be a significant nearshoring opportunity for both Mexico and North America as a whole for years to come. Declaring that it was a missed opportunity is neither correct nor constructive. The real missed opportunity was chance to present an accurate picture of nearshoring in Mexico. What was presented in the article is far from the reality that I see and hear on the ground, or from what the data shows. It was yet another example of what I have seen as the consistent trend of international media to often only focus on the negative side of the story when it comes to Mexico. That was, of course, a significant motivator of ours in buying Mexico News Daily: to present a more complete and comprehensive perspective on the country that is sorely lacking in most international media today. I will say that the nearshoring boom has not come as quickly as hoped and has not yet had nearly the impact expected. Yet hardly a day goes by without critical improvements in the country’s security, energy, water, education and infrastructure. Mexico (both the public and private sectors) have much work to do to fully realize the benefits of the nearshoring opportunity, but it is moving in the right direction. Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.
Fort Hill, Bridgeport to play in 2025-26NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 pulled 0.5% higher after flipping between gains and losses several times during the day. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend to do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 461 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up by less than 0.1%. Nvidia rose just 0.5% after beating analysts’ estimates for profit and revenue yet again, but it was still the strongest force pulling the S&P 500 upward. It also gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that topped most analysts’ expectations due to voracious demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Its stock initially sank in afterhours trading Wednesday following the release of the results. Some investors said the market might have been looking for Nvidia’s revenue forecast to surpass expectations by even more. But its stock recovered in premarket trading Thursday, and Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said it was another “flawless” profit report provided by Nvidia and CEO Jensen Huang, whom Ives calls “the Godfather of AI.” The stock meandered through Thursday as well, dragging the S&P 500 and other indexes back and forth. How Nvidia’s stock performs has more impact than any other because it’s grown into Wall Street’s most valuable company at roughly $3.6 trillion. The frenzy around AI is sweeping up other stocks, and Snowflake jumped 32.7% after reporting stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company, whose platform helps customers get a better view of all their silos of data and use AI, also reported stronger revenue growth than expected. BJ’S Wholesale Club rose 8.3% after likewise delivering a bigger profit than expected. That may help calm worries about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. A day earlier, Target tumbled after reporting sluggish sales in the latest quarter and giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Nearly 90% of the stocks in the S&P 500 ended up rising Thursday, and the gains were even bigger among smaller companies. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped a market-leading 1.7%. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, helped keep indexes in check. It fell 4.7% after U.S. regulators asked a judge to break up the tech giant by forcing it to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser. In a 23-page document filed late Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice called for sweeping punishments that would include restrictions preventing Android from favoring its own search engine. Regulators stopped short of demanding Google sell Android but left the door open to it if the company’s oversight committee continues to see evidence of misconduct. All told, the S&P 500 rose 31.60 points to 5,948.71. The Dow jumped 461.88 to 43,870.35, and the Nasdaq composite added 6.28 to 18,972.42. In the crypto market, bitcoin eclipsed $99,000 for the first time before pulling back toward $98,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s more than doubled so far this year, and its climb has accelerated since Election Day. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to make the country “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. Bitcoin got a further boost after Gary Gensler, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Thursday he would step down in January . Gensler has pushed for more protections for crypto investors. Bitcoin and related investment have a notorious history of big price swings in both directions. MicroStrategy, a company that’s been raising cash expressly to buy bitcoin, saw an early Thursday gain of 14.6% for its stock quickly disappear. It finished the day with a loss of 16.2%. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 2% to bring its gain for the week to 4.8%. Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 1.8%. Oil has been rising amid escalations in the Russia-Ukraine war. In stock markets abroad, shares of India’s Adani Enterprises plunged 22.6% Thursday after the U.S. charged founder Gautam Adani in a federal indictment with securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. The businessman and one of the world’s richest people is accused of concealing that his company’s huge solar energy project on the subcontinent was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme. Stock indexes elsewhere in Asia and Europe were mixed. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.43% from 4.41% late Wednesday following some mixed reports on the U.S. economy. One said fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week in the latest signal that the job market remains solid. Another report, though, said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly shrank. Sales of previously occupied homes, meanwhile, strengthened last month by more than expected. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Yuri Kageyama contributed.