#may-18

#may-18

Weak performance in several service sectors offset gains in retail and wholesale trade, reinforcing concerns about the pace of economic recovery. Japan relies heavily on oil imports from the Middle East, making it particularly sensitive to disruptions in the region.

The past decade has seen a surge of new ways of self-expression online, but somehow, netizens reminisce about the grainy selfies with dog ear filters, old movies, and less AI-generated content.

International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Origins in women's suffrage have evolved into a day of celebration and advancement of women's rights. The first official International Women's Day was in 1975, when it was recognised by the United Nations (UN).

ON THIS DAY IN 1877, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, "The Woman's Centennial Chorus, whose singing was a special feature at the opening and closing ceremonies of the International Exhibition, has been permanently organized, under the title of the Thomas Choral Society. A series of concerts will be given in Philadelphia by the Society, with Mr. Thomas as leader, and in conjunction with his renowned orchestra."

At the same time, however, the United States is hemorrhaging billions in tourism revenue by the year, a downward trend many experts credit to President Donald Trump's nationalistic approach to immigration. In December, the administration expanded its travel ban to 39 countries-most of them in Africa-that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem claimed had "been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies" on X.

Markets were closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, compressing the week's activity into four sessions. Early in the week, stocks fell sharply after renewed concerns about a potential global trade conflict. Investor sentiment weakened following comments from President Donald Trump about imposing tariffs on certain European nations in connection with negotiations over Greenland. However, midweek optimism returned when the president signalled a softer stance and postponed the planned tariffs.

U.S. financial markets ended the week on a cautious note as investors weighed strong employment data against growing concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on traditional business models. Major stock indexes declined, led by technology-heavy shares, reflecting worries that rapid AI developments may disrupt established industries and earnings outlooks. The Nasdaq Composite recorded the steepest losses, while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average also finished lower. Value-oriented stocks continued to outperform growth stocks, extending a trend that has persisted for several weeks.

The complimentary resolution adopted by the Common Council at the close of the year to Hon. Ripley Ropes has been engrossed by W. V. Peacon, of this city, and is now on exhibition in the Common Council Chamber. It will be exhibited later in the show windows of McNeuman's store, 413 Fulton street. The work stands in its frame four and a half feet by three feet. The frame is ebony and gold, engraved and gilded.

Across the world, governments are redefining data. It is no longer a commercial byproduct, but a strategic resource. One that carries economic weight, political influence, and long-term national consequences. At the center of this shift is what most people never consciously see but continuously produce: their digital DNA.

Three of the four things that gave Trump a foothold, in my opinion, were failures in this century (the fourth is the legacy of slavery and the organized political violence that replaced it). The other three, though, are the War on Terror, the financial crisis, and social media. (COVID was the final catalyst, I think; having moved during the height of COVID, I can't express how much worse the US dealt with it than much of the EU.)

U.S. President Donald Trump, with his lust for Greenland and hectoring of Europe, thinks the world is at his mercy,and thatthe U.S. is invincible. He's right on the first point. But he discovered this week that he's wrong about the second one. In Davos at the World Economic Forum, Trump climbed down on his Greenland threats after his actions caused chaos in the markets.