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PPP celebrates 57th Foundation Day with Festive cake cutting ceremonyWillis Towers Watson PLC stock outperforms competitors on strong trading dayEarly returns positive as Timberwolves make a push to run in transitionI began to panic when my car key wouldn’t come out of the ignition switch. I twisted it, yanked it, begged it and cursed it. Nothing worked. It was stuck. I had just pulled into the parking lot at my office in Munster and tried to turn off my car, a temperamental 2004 Chevy Monte Carlo with 314,000 miles. Her name is Betsy. Her engine kept running as my mind raced with what I should do next. I quickly sent a text to my mechanic for any suggestions. Then I sent a text to my boss, telling him I was stuck in our parking lot. I was at work, sort of, but not for long. I had to get to an interview, so I pulled out of the lot and headed in that direction while I figured out my next move. Should I leave my car running while doing that interview? Should I drive straight to the repair shop in Valparaiso? Should I pray to the car gods for mercy? The key ignition problem was just the latest in a series of minor but aggravating issues I’ve had with Betsy over the past few years. Passing an emissions test every two years has felt like acing a final exam in astrophysics. She’s slowly dying, and it feels like my driver seat is situated inside a casket. The SS decal on her side once stood for Super Sport. Now it stands for Super Sad. The dashboard lights blink like a Christmas tree. Her worn out brakes shake the car at fast stops. Exhaust fumes serve as an air freshener inside the car. My side mirror looks toward the sky, not at the road. The driver seat looks like it’s been mauled by a bear. The sunroof hasn’t worked in years. My seat hasn’t been heated since the first Obama administration. Betsy rattles, vibrates and smells like burnt oil. She is held together by rust, hope and stubbornness. On her rear bumper is a “26.2” sticker from the Chicago Marathon I ran back when Betsy and I were both in better condition. But she’s the one who’s still running a marathon, for vehicles anyway. Most modern cars can make it to 200,000 miles without any major issues if it’s well-maintained, according to J.D. Powers. The average owner drives 10,000 to 20,000 miles per year, accounting for roughly 15 years of service. Betsy has surpassed this by five years and 115,000 miles. She should be entombed at a junkyard by now, not leaking quarts of oil in my garage. But I just can’t part with her. She’s been my longest romantic relationship, and I love Betsy despite all of her rust, problems and potential dangers. She can die on me at any time. I’ve come to grips with this fact or fate. When she eventually makes that sad trip across the Rainbow Bridge, I will be forced to do something I haven’t done in 20 years: buy a new vehicle for myself. Black Friday and the weekend after Thanksgiving is a popular time for shoppers to look for a new or used vehicle, according to Kelley Blue Book. Auto manufacturers offer end-of-year deals, low interest rates and lower monthly payments. I was intrigued until I researched the average monthly car payment for U.S. drivers in 2024: $734 for new vehicles and $525 for used vehicles. What? Huh? Are you kidding me? My wife and I recently paid off her 2017 Buick Encore and its $400 monthly payments. We haven’t had a car payment in months. I asked my social media readers how much they’re paying each month for their vehicle, regardless if it was purchased new or used. Their responses gave me sticker shock: $1,384 a month for a 2024 BMW; $1,105 for a new Chevy Blazer; $920 for a 2022 Land Rover; $994 for a 2023 Dodge Ram Bighorn; $640 for a 2021 Chevy Trailblazer; and $438 for a used 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. Some readers said they were paying nearly as much for their car as their mortgage. “Wait until the tariffs hit the auto industry,” another reader wrote. Maybe I can keep old Betsy alive for another month or maybe another year? “Don’t you die on me,” I often tell her on the road. Every time I drive Betsy, I wonder if it will be the last time. I keep spare clothes and running shoes in the trunk, just in case. I’ve poured a few thousand dollars into her over the past 10 years. Not enough to scrap it, though. Last year, I had to finally scrap another family vehicle, a 2005 Hyundai Tucson, for $500. It was slowly dying from old age, parked at the curb for months, and in need of money we didn’t have to keep it alive. Before I scrap Betsy for a similar price, if that, I plan to keep her until death do us part. I figure I’m saving at least $500 a month, not to mention lower auto insurance premiums. If she makes it through winter, I’ll take a long cruise and play a love song we first heard together in 2004. Of course I’ll play it on a cassette or CD. Yep, they still work, sometimes.
SATURDAY Class 3A Division I Region III Area Hitchcock 56, Teague 14 Class 4A Division II Region IV Area Sinton 51, Salado 21 Class 5A Division I Region I Area Denton Ryan 29, Lubbock Monterey 16 N. Richland Hills Richland 55, Amarillo 27 Class 5A Division II Region II Area Dallas South Oak Cliff 38, Huntsville 7 Region III Area Iowa Colony 44, Pflugerville 14 Class 6A Division I Region I Area Euless Trinity 52, Midland Legacy 22 Region II Area Waxahachie 32, North Forney 12 Region IV Area Buda Johnson 23, Los Fresnos 20 Class 6A Division II Region I Area Crowley 26, Midland 21 Region III Area Houston Strake Jesuit 36, Houston Heights 15 TAIAO Six-Man Div I Semifinal Bulverde Gloria Deo 61, Westlake Academy 14 TAIAO Six-Man Div III Semifinal Stinnett West Texas 40, SA Jubilee 28 TAPPS 11-Man Div I Regional Frisco Legacy Christian 62, SA Antonian 27 TAPPS 11-Man Div II Regional Austin Regents 46, Midland Christian 23 Fort Bend Christian 45, The Woodlands 38 TAPPS 11-Man Div III Regional Colleyville Covenant 28, Dallas Covenant 9 TAPPS 11-Man Div IV Regional Bryan Brazos Christian 52, Shiner St. Paul 8 TAPPS Six-Man Div I Regional SA Castle Hills 46, Houston Emery/Weiner School 36 TAPPS Six-Man Div II Regional Bryan Allen Academy 60, Lucas Christian 14 Prestonwood North 54, FW Nazarene 46 FRIDAY Class 6A Division I Region I Area Allen 59, Richardson 6 Coppell 38, Richardson Lake Highlands 10 North Crowley 72, Odessa Permian 14 Region II Area Cypress Bridgeland 38, Conroe 22 Duncanville 56, Rockwall 14 The Woodlands 38, Cypress Ranch 21 Region III Area Fulshear 54, Houston Lamar 48 Galena Park North Shore 44, Fort Bend Ridge Point 28 Humble Atascocita 28, Pearland 17 Katy 49, Cypress Falls 20 Region IV Area Austin Westlake 24, SA Northside Brennan 7 Lake Travis 56, SA Johnson 27 SA East Central 37, Weslaco 30 Class 6A Division II Region I Area Denton Guyer 45, Richardson Pearce 28 Lewisville Hebron 51, Arlington Bowie 35 Southlake Carroll 49, Wolfforth Frenship 42 Region II Area Klein Collins 70, The Woodlands College Park 21 Longview 35, Lancaster 28, OT Willis 28, Tomball 24 Region III Area Humble Kingwood 41, Fort Bend Elkins 17 Humble Summer Creek 49, Manvel 7 Katy Jordan 31, Houston Stratford 10 Region IV Area New Braunfels Canyon 38, Brownsville Memorial 35 San Antonio Harlan 55, Dripping Springs 24 Class 5A Division I Region I Area Aledo 59, Abilene 14 Amarillo Tascosa 35, Saginaw 13 Region II Area Dallas Highland Park 38, Frisco Wakeland 10 Frisco Lone Star 34, Red Oak 28 Frisco Reedy 49, Georgetown 45 Midlothian 45, West Mesquite 28 Region III Area Angleton 36, Port Arthur Memorial 29 La Porte 55, Barbers Hill 28 Lufkin 63, College Station 51 Region IV Area CC Flour Bluff 57, Pieper 56, OT New Braunfels 35, PSJA North 32 SA Southwest 30, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial High 20 Smithson Valley 55, Edinburg Vela 13 Class 5A Division II Region I Area Anna 56, Abilene Wylie 21 Argyle 28, Wichita Falls Memorial 21 Lucas Lovejoy 45, EP Del Valle 21 Walnut Grove 34, Lubbock-Cooper 28 Region II Area Marshall 21, Midlothian Heritage 12 Texarkana Texas 58, Crandall 28 Region III Area Brenham 30, Liberty Hill 27 Fort Bend Marshall 38, Bastrop 10 Region IV Area CC Miller 59, Sharyland Pioneer 6 Victoria West 63, Alice 13 Class 4A Division I Region I Area Lampasas 55, Dumas 21 Amarillo West Plains 49, Brownwood 14 Region II Area Aubrey 41, Decatur 38 Celina 49, Kennedale 7 Sulphur Springs 56, Springtown 39 Region III Area Kilgore 48, Needville 14 Navasota 56, Lindale 45 Stafford 14, Longview Pine Tree 13 Region IV Area Bay City 58, Fischer Canyon Lake 21 CC Calallen 49, Somerset 28 Port Lavaca Calhoun 42, SA Davenport 28 Class 4A Division II Region I Area Brock 62, Lubbock Estacado 13 Glen Rose 52, Seminole 50, 3OT Region II Area Van 45, Van Alstyne 42 Region III Area Gatesville 42, West Columbia 27 Sealy 21, Hamshire-Fannett 17 Silsbee 41, Bellville 17 Waco La Vega 42, West Orange-Stark 20 Region IV Area Cuero 56, Geronimo Navarro 21 Lago Vista 31, Port Isabel 0 Class 3A Division I Region I Area Paradise 21, Bushland 17 Shallowater 41, Peaster 21 Tuscola Jim Ned 35, Dalhart 7 Region III Area Columbus 48, Palestine Westwood 28 Yoakum 56, Fairfield 26 Region IV Area Goliad 56, Marion 27 Llano 34, Orange Grove 6 Universal City Randolph 46, Rio Hondo 31 Class 3A Division II Region I Area Canadian 63, Coahoma 35 Idalou 52, Stanton 14 Littlefield 59, Crane 0 Wall 49, Childress 14 Region II Area Gunter 45, WF City View 14 Holliday 42, Blue Ridge 34 Jacksboro 62, Scurry-Rosser 34 Tolar 21, Bells 0 Region III Area Daingerfield 42, New Diana 35 De Kalb 40, Troup 34 Newton 84, Edgewood 42 Woodville 48, Grand Saline 21 Region IV Area El Maton Tidehaven 56, Dilley 14 Lexington 76, George West 0 Poth 15, East Bernard 13 Van Vleck 35, Cotulla 14 Class 2A Division I Region I Area Cisco 38, Abernathy 19 Sunray 49, Hawley 40 Region II Area Axtell 45, Coleman 6 Corsicana Mildred 30, De Leon 20 Hamilton 27, Frankston 14 Kerens 33, Tioga 22 Region III Area Honey Grove 36, Hearne 7 Joaquin 32, Cooper 24 Shelbyville 75, Beckville 48 Waskom 13, Garrison 9 Region IV Area Ganado 59, Crawford 0 Marlin 35, Schulenburg 14 Mason 56, Weimar 28 Refugio 51, Thorndale 14 Class 2A Division II Region I Area Gruver 49, Iraan 19 Ropesville Ropes 28, Farwell 0 Tahoka 42, Hale Center 20 Wink 42, Stratford 20 Region II Area Collinsville 24, Wellington 13 Muenster 60, Wheeler 15 Windthorst 30, Lindsay 27 Region III Area Bremond 34, Lovelady 14 Grapeland 39, Goldthwaite 29 Mount Enterprise 32, Wortham 28 Overton 31, Mart 30 Region IV Area Granger 51, La Villa 21 Junction 35, Falls City 13 Shiner 54, Brackett 7 Somerville 46, Ben Bolt 12 Class 1A Division I Region I Area Borden County 52, Happy 38 Whiteface 66, Booker 16 Region II Area Water Valley 56, Knox City 0 Westbrook 98, Newcastle 52 Region III Area Abbott 70, Saint Jo 24 Aquilla 69, Gilmer Union Hill 39 Class 1A Division II Region I Area Lamesa Klondike 46, Matador Motley County 16 Region II Area Benjamin 86, Loraine 36 Region III Area Iredell 91, Strawn 90 Oakwood 63, Bowie Gold-Burg 24 Region IV Area Oglesby 116, Cherokee 76 Richland Springs 64, Zephyr 6 TAIAO Six-Man Div I Semifinal Bryan Christian Homeschool 56, Austin Royals 22 Harvest Christian Academy- Lantana 56, Fort Bend Chargers 24 TAIAO Six-Man Div II Semifinal Lubbock Home School 68, Williamson County Home School 60 TAIAO Six-Man Div III Semifinal Granbury Grace Classical 20, Grace 16 TAPPS 11-Man Div I Regional Argyle Liberty Christian 63, Dallas Bishop Lynch 19 Dallas Parish Episcopal 61, Plano Prestonwood 55 Houston St. Thomas 21, Austin St. Michael 7 TAPPS 11-Man Div II Regional FW All Saints 49, Fort Worth Christian 20 Houston Second Baptist 29, Brownsville St. Joseph 10 TAPPS 11-Man Div III Regional Dallas Christian 55, Arlington Pantego Christian 0 Lubbock Christian 56, Tyler All Saints 0 SA Holy Cross 56, FW Lake Country 14 TAPPS 11-Man Div IV Regional Dallas First Baptist 58, MC Prep 14 Temple Central Texas 52, Hallettsville Sacred Heart 6 Waco Live Oak Classical 30, Muenster Sacred Heart 18 TAPPS Six-Man Div I Regional Midland Trinity 74, Austin TSD 28 Pasadena First Baptist 76, Houston Westbury Christian 28 Plano Coram Deo 80, Concordia 66 TAPPS Six-Man Div II Regional Alpha Omega 40, Beaumont Legacy Christian 21 FW Covenant Classical 52, Rockwall Heritage 6 TAPPS Six-Man Div III Regional Bryan St. Joseph 83, Divine Savior Academy 52 Fredericksburg Heritage 58, Bellville Faith 24 Waco Valor Prep 79, Longview Heritage 78 Wichita Falls Wichita Christian 75, Lubbock Kingdom Prep 39 TCSAAL 11-Man Semifinal Legacy School of Sport Sciences 32, KIPP Sunnyside 28 THURSDAY Class 6A Division II Region II Area DeSoto 51, Wylie East 17 Region IV Area Austin Vandegrift 51, Sotomayor 0 Cibolo Steele 63, PSJA 12 Class 5A Division I Region III Area A&M Consolidated 10, Galveston Ball 3 Class 5A Division II Region II Area Port Neches-Groves 42, Kaufman 21 Region IV Area Boerne 38, Edcouch-Elsa 3 SA Alamo Heights 75, Mercedes 14 Class 4A Division I Region I Area Canyon Randall 42, Andrews 36 Stephenville 35, Hereford 7 Region II Area Alvarado 44, Frisco Panther Creek 41, OT Region III Area Tyler Chapel Hill 49, Worthing 24 Region IV Area La Vernia 13, Austin LBJ 10 Class 4A Division II Region I Area FW Benbrook 41, Midland Greenwood 34 Graham 63, Monahans 6 Region II Area Carthage 56, Krum 14 Sunnyvale 27, Gilmer 17 Texarkana Pleasant Grove 63, Farmersville 7 Region IV Area Wimberley 62, Rockport-Fulton 21 Class 3A Division I Region I Area Vernon 28, Amarillo River Road 7 Region II Area Jefferson 62, Grandview 18 Malakoff 70, Maypearl 7 Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 43, Pilot Point 7 Winnsboro 48, Palmer 7 Region III Area Franklin 31, Diboll 14 Region IV Area Edna 48, SA Cole 0 Class 2A Division I Region I Area Post 42, Anson 35, OT Stamford 49, Panhandle 13 Class 2A Division II Region II Area Albany 48, Archer City 14 Class 1A Division I Region IV Area Gordon 48, Menard 0 Jonesboro 70, Medina 20 Class 1A Division II Region I Area Follett 52, Ackerly Sands 24 Region II Area Jayton 60, Blackwell 8The 45th session of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), slated for Sunday in the sisterly State of Kuwait, is expected to make many recommendations that align with the serious challenges facing the Arab region, including the situation in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon, as well as the difficult political, economic and security circumstances that cast their shadows over many countries, political analysts said. In statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), analysts expected the discussions to focus on economic challenges and pushing the wheel of development towards achieving more accomplishments. In this context, they stressed the importance of exploring means to promote the GCC Common Market and Customs Union, given the great importance of this file for the countries of the region. Nasser Al Otaibi, political analyst and editor-in-chief of the Kuwait's Al-Jarida newspaper, said the upcoming GCC Supreme Council Summit is being held at a critical time while the entire region is facing devastating wars and conflict, fateful issues and a crossroads. These critical circumstances cast their shadows on the GCC countries, making them a main focus on the Summit's agenda. Al Otaibi added that joint defense and security cooperation will also occupy a prominent place on the agenda in light of the tense conditions sweeping the Middle East. He also expected that the discussions will include ways to address the continued Israeli aggression, violations and crimes, while calling on the international community to support the steps of the International Court of Justice that condemns the violations of the Israeli Prime Minister and his former Defense Minister. The GCC summit will also address all pending issues for the member states with other countries outside the council, such as the maritime borders issue between Kuwait and Iraq, which still needs to be resolved by the Iraqi government, he added. Among the most prominent issues that will be addressed at the upcoming GCC Summit is navigation security in the Arabian Gulf and oil tankers protection, in order to ensure the stability of global markets and protect the vital energy artery, Al Otaibi emphasised. The Summit will confirm the cohesion of the GCC states in addressing new developments, emphasizing the unity of the Gulf house, based on deep-rooted common ties, he indicated. As for the expected recommendations, Al Otaibi said the Summit may call on the international community to assume its responsibilities and acheive a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and to put an end to the ongoing Israeli attacks and violations against the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples. In addition, the recommendations may call for building on the two arrest warrants issued by the International Court of Justice against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, sending a decisive message to countries supporting Israel that Arab countries, including the GCC countries, are exasperated by the systematic attacks and ongoing bloodshed under the pretext of "self-defense." Dr. Ahmed Qasim Hussein, a researcher at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies and editor-in-chief of Arab Policies journal, said the upcoming GCC Summit is being held amid complex security and political challenges, including the regional situation in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon, and the ongoing unrest in the region. He indicated that these conditions combined cast a shadow over the security of the Arab region in general, and the security of the GCC in particular. He indicated that the repercussions of the Israeli war on Palestine and Lebanon will be one of the pivotal issues that will be addressed at the GCC Supreme Council Summit. He also expected that economic challenges, including strengthening the GCC Common Market and Customs Union, will receive special importance, given their vital role in supporting economic integration among the GCC countries. The Summit is expected to pay special attention to technology and digital development, with a focus on the rapid transformations in the artificial intelligence sector. Such issues require effective responses and joint strategies to enhance the capabilities of the GCC countries in dealing with these developments, in a way that achieves sustainable economic growth and contributes to consolidating the region's position as a global center in the field of innovation and technology, Hussein said. Hussein pointed out that strengthening joint GCC action is pivotal to confronting the current security and economic challenges facing the region. To this end, he expected the recommendations to include the establishment of effective mechanisms to deal with emergency crises, in light of the increasing military escalation between Iran and Israel. Hussein called on the GCC states to adopt a pioneering role by launching a regional initiative aimed at mobilizing international support to end the suffering of the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples as a result of the Israeli aggression. He stressed the importance of investing the diplomatic and political capabilities of the GCC states and their leaders to influence the course of events and stop this aggressive war, in order to realize regional peace and stability. Dr. Tarek Hamoud, Professor of Political Science at Lusail University, said the Gulf Cooperation Council reflects the most successful Arab experience in terms of joint regional cooperation, which highlights the importance of its meetings in general; stressing the significance of the upcoming GCC Supreme Council Summit in Kuwati in light of the current circumstances that the region is going through. The current session is being held at a time when two Arab countries, Palestine and Lebanon, are being subjected to a brutal Israeli war, in addition to the political, economic and security crises suffered by other countries such as Syria, Sudan, Iraq and Yemen, which represent a great geopolitical importance for the GCC states, Hamoud said. These regional issues will occupy a prominent place on the summit agenda, in addition to internal issues specific to the GCC countries, such as enhancing cooperation in areas of strategic connectivity, whether in employment or facilitating movement between the GCC countries, he added. Related Story Qatar pitches for expediting GCC-EU FTA negotiations Qatar's hospitality sector sees improved room yield in September: NPCRimini Street Announces New Management Console for Rimini ConnectTM Suite of Interoperability Solutions
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Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fightingBy Cassandra Garrison, David Shepardson and Ben Klayman MEXICO CITY/DETROIT (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's plan to slap a 25% tax on all imports from Mexico and Canada could strike the bottom lines of U.S. automakers, especially General Motors, and raise prices of SUVs and pickup trucks for U.S. consumers. GM leads the automakers that export cars from Mexico to North America. The top 10 car manufacturers with Mexican plants collectively built 1.4 million vehicles over the first six months of this year, with 90% heading across the border to U.S. buyers, according to the Mexican auto trade association. Other Detroit manufacturers will likely also feel the pain: Ford and Stellantis are the top U.S. producers in Mexico after GM, whose shares fell on Tuesday, the day after Trump's tariff announcement. GM is expected to import more than 750,000 vehicles from Canada or Mexico this year, with most manufactured south of the border, according to business analytics firm GlobalData. They include some of GM’s most popular vehicles, including nearly 370,000 Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra full-sized pickups and nearly 390,000 midsized SUVs. GM's Mexican plants also build two of its critical new electric vehicles, battery-powered versions of its Equinox and Blazer SUVs. Those GM models and others are already in the crosshairs of another expected Trump policy: ending a $7,500 EV subsidy, a move first reported by Reuters. GM, Stellantis and Ford declined to comment on Trump's proposed tariffs. Kenneth Smith Ramos, Mexico's former chief negotiator for the USMCA trade pact, said the move could hurt the United States as much as its North American trading partners. "The U.S. would be shooting itself in the foot," he said. The impact on Mexico's auto industry would also be "very negative." GM employs 125,000 people in North America; a decline in sales of its Mexico-made cars could hurt its profit for the entire region, potentially putting pressure on payrolls on both sides of the border. The tariff hikes would also serve as a reminder of the supply chains, which closely bind the three members of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Mexico and Canada account for more than 50% of all auto parts exported to the United States - sending nearly $100 billion in parts. Imposing the tariffs would increase the costs of all vehicles assembled in the United States. TARIFFS, DRUGS AND IMMIGRATION The vast impact of Trump’s threatened tariffs on Mexico and Canada raises questions about what the incoming administration is trying to accomplish economically and the potential collateral damage to U.S. companies and consumers. Trump billed the action as a punishment for the unrelated problems of immigration and the trafficking of the drug fentanyl, posting on social media that the tariffs would remain in place until Mexico and Canada halt what he called an “invasion” of “Illegal Aliens." The reference to drugs and migration have led some analysts to predict the tariffs are more of a negotiating tactic than a genuine policy proposal. "Given the (social media) post makes an explicit reference to the flow of people and drugs across the southern and northern borders, it suggests this specific tariff threat is more of a negotiating tool than a revenue raiser," said Thomas Ryan, North America economist at Capital Economics. "It leaves the door open to Canada and Mexico coming up with a credible plan over the next two months to try and avoid those tariffs," he added. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called for a dialogue with Trump and warned the proposed tariff's lacked "sense" and would worsen inflation and kill jobs in both countries. She also raised the specter of retaliation, although given its vast flow of exports to the U.S., Mexico's economy remains more vulnerable to tariff threats. Trump’s import taxes could also theoretically stop Chinese automakers from using Mexico as a way around steep U.S. tariffs on Chinese EVs, but those imports are already effectively blocked by other U.S. trade barriers. Shares of GM were down 8.2% late on Tuesday afternoon, while Stellantis fell 5.5% and Ford shares were down 2.6%. HIT TO CONSUMERS Free trade with the U.S., first in the form of NAFTA and then as USMCA, transformed Mexico's nascent automotive industry into the country's most important manufacturing sector and the poster child of its export prowess. But 30 years after NAFTA's establishment, Trump has put that all on the line. In the hyper-competitive world of car and truck production, a 25% tariff could kneecap a Mexican industry that has spent years tightly integrating itself with the U.S., the destination of nearly 80% of all Mexican-made vehicles. Higher tariffs would also hit U.S. consumers. While the company that imports goods into the U.S. directly pays the tariff, that cost is inevitably passed on to the consumer via higher prices. "That's how tariffs work. Even though the (Trump) administration might want to spin it that Mexico is paying ... ultimately the consumer will bear this," said Sudeep Suman, a managing partner with consultancy AlixPartners. That could hit many pickup trucks popular in rural parts of the U.S. that overwhelmingly voted for Trump. Notably, the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Maverick, Stellantis' Ram, and GM's Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are all made in Mexico. GM might be able to absorb some costs from its highly profitable pickup trucks but other manufacturers selling lower-cost vehicles like the Nissan Sentra could find it difficult to continue building profitable models, said Sam Fiorani, industry analyst at AutoForecast Solutions. “Somebody is going to have to eat that cost and that is going to the manufacturer or customer,” Fiorani said. “All vehicles sold in the United States would be more expensive or considerably less profitable.” Tariffs could also hit the cost of vehicle production in the U.S. because so many parts now come from Mexico. The Latin American nation represents 43% of all U.S. auto-part imports, larger than any other country. Francisco Gonzales, head of Mexico's National Industry of Autoparts, said regional cooperation across North America brings down costs for customers. Automakers "cannot be producing everything in a single country," he said, "because it makes it uncompetitive." (Reporting by Cassandra Garrison in Mexico City, Ben Klayman in Detroit and David Shepardson in Washington; Writing by Brian Thevenot and Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Christian Plumb and Matthew Lewis)
NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of tax and gun charges . People are also reading... 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Former President Donald Trump walks to make comments to members of the news media May 30 after a jury convicted him of felony crimes for falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies wrongdoing. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, also would allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and since were selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Trump takes office Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff ZEKE MILLERAssociated Press Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes. PHOTOS: Donald Trump's Election Day 2024 Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, with Melania Trump and Barron Trump, arrives to speak at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as Melania Trump looks on at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican Presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives with former first lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump at the Palm Beach County Convention Center during an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump visits his campaign headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, joined by, from right, Melania Trump and Barron Trump, arrives to speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump walk after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump walk after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Republican Presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives with =former first lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump at the Palm Beach County Convention Center during an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
A popular social media influencer in Florida has been arrested after allegedly stealing from Target. Target says a woman, later identified as Marlena Velez, entered a store in Cape Coral on Oct. 30 and began shopping. While at the self-checkout, police said scanned barcodes for items of lesser value before walking out of the store. "Initially, our officers got a report from Target about this retail theft. They looked into it. They got the security footage. They had a still frame of this woman who’s basically scamming the self-checkout at Target," said Mercedes Simonds, public information officer for the Cape Coral Police Department. Police said the stolen items, including household goods and clothing, are valued at more than $500. After police posted the suspect's picture on their Facebook and Instagram accounts, an anonymous caller identified the woman as Velez. A video posted on her TikTok account documents herself as she gets ready to leave her home on Oct. 30 in the same outfit and glasses in the surveillance video. Velez is now charged with theft. This story was originally reported by Shari Armstrong and Dominga Murray at Scripps News Fort Myers.
NoneMark Almond: Will the Little Rocket Man now seize the chance to cause havoc? By MARK ALMOND Published: 22:41 GMT, 3 December 2024 | Updated: 22:44 GMT, 3 December 2024 e-mail 7 View comments No one expected this. Not the Americans who view Seoul as a crucial Asian ally, not half-starved North Korea under the heel of its dictator, and certainly not the people of South Korea themselves. As martial law was declared by the president Yoon Suk Yeol yesterday, many of the country’s 52 million inhabitants must have feared an international emergency had erupted – perhaps an invasion or nuclear tests by their neighbour. But, as soldiers barricaded the entrance to the parliament building and all democratic political activity was suspended, it became plain this was a domestic crisis on a seismic scale. Whatever happens next will only magnify the shock. Yoon, whose party had already suffered huge losses in this year’s parliamentary election , has acted in a desperate bid to avoid being forced from office. If he topples, he will leave a power vacuum. But clinging on doesn’t seem a realistic option after a half-baked coup to keep himself in power. Any scenarios are potentially catastrophic for the US, which has more than 24,000 troops stationed in the country. Since the Korean War of the 1950s, this peninsula has been a crucial foothold in the East for America. In Beijing , the Chinese Communist Party will be deciding how to react. It is unlikely they will make any sudden moves. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un will try to take advantage of political unrest in South Korea over martial law by stirring up more chaos, writes Mark Almond South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late on Tuesday but has since had lift legislation following unrest People gesture as they gather outside the National Assembly in Seoul on December 4, 2024, after South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law But North Korea’s Kim Jong-un – infamously nicknamed ‘Little Rocket Man’ by Donald Trump – is far less predictable. He will certainly try to take advantage of the situation by stirring up more unrest. Cyber warfare is a favourite weapon but he could also seek to intimidate his neighbours by firing a missile – a tactic he has used with Japan in the past. He might even order a border incursion to demonstrate his military might. While South Korea has the world’s lowest birthrate and an ageing population, North Korea is a young nation. It has no shortage of recruits for its large army, and was able earlier this year to send 10,000 troops to assist Russia in Ukraine. If the North staged a full-scale invasion, the US would have no choice but to declare war. Yet that would put Washington in the impossible position of supporting Yoon, who is now acting as a tyrant. His bitterest political enemies could not have foreseen this when he was elected as a conservative leader on an anti-corruption platform in 2022. South Korea has been dogged for decades by financial skulduggery in government, and Yoon touted himself as a leading activist in the fight against dirty dealings. Instead, he has wallowed in the muck. His First Lady Kim Keon Hee has been accused of accepting bribes. Opponents liken her to Marie Antoinette. We don’t yet know whether Yoon will go quickly, or whether the National Assembly, having lifted the martial law decree, will demand his head. As I write, the situation is uncertain. What is certain is that this volatility in a major economy balancing on a nuclear trip wire means South Korea’s crisis will have repercussions around the world. Soldiers try to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul on December 4 2024, after South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law It comes as Kim Jong Un sent thousands of troops to Ukraine to assist Russian soldiers amid the ongoing conflict The collapse of the coup doesn’t mean that after a bout of midnight madness South Korea will return to normal. That this could happen shows that behind the facade of K-Pop and Samsung Galaxies, deep problems of corruption lurked. Another crisis about who will take over in South Korea may just be beginning. Mark Almond is director of Crisis Research Institute in Oxford. Share or comment on this article: Mark Almond: Will the Little Rocket Man now seize the chance to cause havoc? e-mail Add comment
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What we know about South Korea's martial lawFIUGGI, Italy (AP) — Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The top diplomats met for the final time before a new U.S. administration takes office with wars raging in the Mideast and Ukraine. “Knock on wood,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said as he opened the Group of Seven meeting outside Rome. “We are perhaps close to a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said. "Let's hope it's true and that there's no backing down at the last-minute.” A ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon was foremost on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, outside Rome, that gathered ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the last G7 encounter of the Biden administration. For the first time, the G7 ministers were joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the so-called “Arab Quintet,” as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League. “Everyone favors a ceasefire in both scenarios,” Tajani told reporters, adding that Italy had offered to take on an even greater peacekeeping role in Lebanon to oversee any ceasefire deal. As the ministers arrived in Italy, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Mike Herzog, told Israeli Army Radio on Monday a ceasefire deal to end fighting between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah could be reached “within days.” Several Arab ministers reiterated calls for a ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza during a G7-affiliated conference in Rome. “We need a ceasefire, a permanent ceasefire. That will stop the killings and stop the destruction and restore a sense of normalcy to life,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told the conference. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, for his part, reaffirmed that Cairo would host a minister-level conference next Monday on mobilizing international aid for Gaza. The so-called “Quintet” has been working with the U.S. to finalize a “day after” plan for Gaza. There is some urgency to make progress before the Trump administration takes over in January. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to pursue a policy that strongly favors Israel over the aspirations of the Palestinians. Tajani added another item to the G7 agenda last week after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas’ military chief. Italy is a founding member of the court and hosted the 1998 Rome conference that gave birth to it. But Italy’s right-wing government has been a strong supporter of Israel after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, while also providing humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza. The Italian government has taken a cautious line, reaffirming its support and respect for the court but expressing concern that the warrants were politically motivated. The United States, Israel's closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Tajani acknowledged consensus hadn't been reached among the G7 members but hoped for agreement to have a unified position. He noted that all sides need Netanyahu to make any deal. “We can also not agree with how his government has led the reaction after the massacre of Oct. 7, but now we have to deal with Netanyahu to arrive at peace in Lebanon, peace in Palestine,” Tajani said. Nathalie Tocci, director of the Rome-based Institute for International Affairs think tank, warned that inserting the ICC warrant into the G7 agenda was risky, since the U.S. is the lone member that is not a signatory to the court and yet tends to dictate the G7 line. “If Italy and the other (five G7) signatories of the ICC are unable to maintain the line on international law, they will not only erode it anyway but will be acting against our interests,” Tocci wrote in La Stampa daily this weekend, recalling Italy’s recourse to international law in demanding protection for Italian U.N. peacekeepers who have come under fire in southern Lebanon. The other major talking point of the G7 meeting is Ukraine , and tensions have only heightened since Russia attacked Ukraine last week with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the strike was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. The G7 has been at the forefront of providing military and economic support for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022 and G7 members are particularly concerned about how a Trump administration will change the U.S. approach. Trump has criticized the billions of dollars that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine and has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. “It’s hugely important that this G7, that all colleagues across the G7 continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it lasts,” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said as he arrived. He announced new sanctions on vessels of Russia's “shadow fleet” of ships that are evading sanctions to export Russian oil. “And we are confident that Ukraine can have the funds and the military equipment and kit to get through 2025,” Lammy said. The G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, the second of the Italian presidency after ministers gathered in Capri in April , is being held in the medieval town of Fiuggi southeast of Rome, best known for its thermal spas. On Monday, which coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ministers were attending the inauguration of a red bench meant to symbolize Italy’s focus on fighting gender-based violence. Over the weekend, tens of thousands of people marched in Rome to protest gender-based violence , which in Italy so far this year has claimed the lives of 99 women, according to a report last week by the Eures think tank.Brazilian meat suppliers stop deliveries to local Carrefour retailers, media say
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