Author: ovieoftoronto

Mark Jones and Rodrigo CamposLONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – The first half of 2024 brought new winds to global markets, with the unstoppable rise of corporate giants, lazy central bank policy shifts, political turmoil and a return of M&A.Predictions of a global interest-cutting frenzy may not have come to fruition, but Nvidia and the rest of the “Magnificent Seven” added another $3.6 trillion to their market capitalization.MSCI's global stock index of 47 countries has surged 11% since January, a good 11% gain, but still far short of the 30% surge in tech companies and the frankly staggering 150% gain from semiconductor…

Here is a practical first aid kit for mental health for diplomat families. Rear Mirror Beth Walrond “Nearly 20% of children and youth ages 3 to 17 in the United States have a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder, and suicidal behavior among high school students increased by more than 40% in the 10 years leading up to 2019. … These trends have exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the National Library of Medicine reported in 2022. These grim statistics mean that many of the children and families of diplomats have or will have mental health problems — and that doesn't…

You're reading the Today's Opinions newsletter: Sign up to get it delivered to your inbox.In another debate today,Okay. So, would you rather hear bad news or bad news?That's bad news. We all know the debate was a bad look for Biden and for democracy. Thirty-five minutes into Thursday night's debacle, Catherine Rampell told a columnist's live chat, “This is excruciating to watch.” Forty minutes later, she said she was “yelling at the TV.”In its summary of the debate, the editorial board described the entire discussion as “90 minutes of agony.”To be clear, this has as much, if not more, to…

More Footwear NewsThe 2024 Glastonbury music festival is happening in style across the ocean, with headliners including Dua Lipa, Coldplay and SZA taking to the Pyramid Stage from 26-30 June.One of the UK's biggest music festivals has attracted a host of celebrities to the festival, which has historically taken place through sweltering heat and rain showers. Facing unpredictable weather, stars have opted for footwear that combines practicality with style to navigate the festival grounds. Enter boots, which are functional yet fashionable; festival-goers can wear them in any weather and are comfortable to walk in for hours on end.A host of…

Even the longest journeys come to an end, and so has the journey of one of China's most well-known travel brands, Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet, a well-known publisher of travel guides and related content, has closed its China office, ceased all publications in China, and shut down its Chinese social media accounts. The company announced the news on June 26th via social media and website posts. “Unfortunately, due to the impact of the epidemic and our strategic adjustments, Lonely Planet has closed our China office and suspended our publishing operations in China. All of Lonely Planet's official social media accounts…

Kevin Durant shocked the NBA world when he was traded from the Nets to the Suns ahead of the NBA trade deadline in 2023. Will he be on the move less than a year and a half later?The Suns’ early exit from the 2024 playoffs has led to speculation that the team could try to retool around Devin Booker, which could mean releasing the 35-year-old Durant, who still has two years and roughly $106 million left on his contract.Phoenix may not be willing to give up the “big three” of Durant, Booker and Bradley Beal, and with new coach Mike…

Food halls have become all the rage in New York City in recent years, with many of them located just steps from shopping areas like Mercado Little Spain at Hudson Yards and Urban Hawker at Rockefeller Center, so it's fitting that the 35,000-square-foot food hall is opening on the site of the former Lord & Taylor flagship store. In another nod to fashion, the restaurant will be named Shaver Hall, in honor of the late Dorothy Shaver, who became Amazon's first female president in 1945. The name pays tribute to the pioneering businesswoman and is a clash of old and…

We will be discussing several MLB hitters who have been going in a bad direction with their play over the past few weeks. BRONX, NEW YORK – MAY 23: Seattle Mariners player Julio Rodriguez (number 44) steps up to bat during a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on May 23, 2024 in Bronx, New York. (Photo by Rich Greissle/Icon Sportswire) Yesterday we looked at some of the MLB hitters who are trending in a positive direction, but now it’s time to discuss some hitters who are trending in the opposite direction. The last time I wrote…

Young people are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis, amplified by political turmoil, school shootings and climate instability. But the youth mental health crisis is exacerbated by the rising costs of behavioral health care, a shortage of therapists able to meet the need and the devastating effects of social media. In Washington DC, there is a growing movement to introduce legislation to keep harmful social media content out of the hands of children. Senate leaders are considering supporting three online safety bills to protect children from the potentially harmful effects of social media. As reported by POLITICO, one of the…

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Friday that more than six million people, about a third of the country's population, were in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. “The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are supporting the government's efforts to meet the immediate needs of the people,” he told correspondents in New York.”Under the humanitarian response plan, aid organisations have so far assisted more than 730,000 people across Burkina Faso in 2024. This is a good start, but only 19 per cent of the 3.8 million people we aim to reach,” he added.But halfway through the year, the $935 million…