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Markets Update: Wall Street Takes a Memorial Day Pause as Asian Stocks Surge to Records

It's a split-holiday Monday for global investors. While American traders step away from their screens for Memorial Day — leaving the NYSE and Nasdaq dark until Tuesday — the Toronto Stock Exchange is open for business , and markets across Asia are delivering some of the most dramatic moves of the year. Here's everything you need to know before the North American week kicks into full gear. Canada — TSX Open While the US Rests The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed Friday, May 22 at 34,471.36 , up a modest 0.18%, as financials provided support heading into the long weekend. With Victoria Day already behind us (it fell on May 18 this year), the TSX is the only major North American exchange open today, which could translate into lighter-than-usual volumes as cross-border activity slows. The loonie was last quoted near CAD/USD 0.7242 , holding relatively steady as oil prices — a key driver of Canada's export revenues — remain in focus amid evolving Middle East negotiations. Wa...
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A Symbol of Hope: Tiny Christmas Tree Amidst Church Ruins in Lebanon

 

In the southern Lebanese town of Dardghaya, amidst the ruins of the 18th-century St. George Melkite Catholic Church, a tiny Christmas tree now stands as a symbol of hope and resilience. The church, devastated by an Israeli airstrike in October, once served as a vibrant community center. 

Georges Elia, a 40-year-old municipal worker and churchgoer, took it upon himself to bring some normalcy to the holiday season. "This year, Christmas is arriving with sadness for us, but we didn't want it to be a sad one for the town's residents and its church," Elia said. 

The modest tree, shorter than Elia himself, is decorated with a shining garland and a star. Despite the lack of lights and a traditional Nativity scene due to the war's destruction, the tree stands tall among the fallen stones and shattered pews. "But, of course, Christ is born in our hearts, lit with our love for him," Elia added.

The church's priest, Father Maurice el Khoury, who has served for 11 years, conducts Sunday Mass in a small underground room that once housed visiting bishops. "This room is more like the cave where Jesus was born," he said, reminding families of the true essence of the holiday season.

The community's faith remains unshaken, and despite the staggering financial toll of the damage, estimated at nearly $3 million, they continue to celebrate Christmas with hope and love.



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