ultimate

And dominate they did. Re-energised and ready, Weir was leading from the front.

Two assists were provided in the first half, when she had a few sniffs of her own at goal, but it was after the break when the midfielder truly started banging on the door for a goal.

Andreatta’s side had, deservedly, fought back twice to level the game at 2-2 at half-time, but Euro 2025 hosts and quarter-finalists Switzerland, restored their lead swiftly into the second half.

Weir, along with numerous team-mates, had the opportunity to haul them back level again. No-one was more desperate than her to do so.

With each skied, skewed or saved shot, the midfielder appeared to grow in angst. Those in the stands certainly did.

Until, at two goals down and just under 15 minutes left, she slotted home. Dream, achieved. Or not.

Referee Abi Byrne was booed as she denied Weir, and Dunfermline, of their fairy tale moment for a handball in the build-up – the Scotland star said post-match she thought it was “unlucky” but was told “that’s the rule”.

It seemed an unspoken one that Weir was sure to have her moment, though. And in added time, it came.

A perfect pick-out from Martha Thomas presented Weir with the picture she’d envisioned from her early days in football – a sight, and shot, at goal at East End Park.

“It was such a cool moment for me to score in front of the Norrie McCathie stand, that has been a dream of mine since I was really young,” an emotional Weir told BBC Scotland.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute [of being here]. For me it’s been great and I think the girls have enjoyed it as well.

“My parents still live in Dunfermline, it’s still a massive part of my life so it really means a lot to be here.”

A few weeks ago Weir was in a red frock in France, walking the red carpet at the Ballon d’Or ceremony. On Tuesday, drenched, she was describing her goal in Dunfermline – a moment which “ranks right up there”.

East your heart out, Paris. The Kingdom of Fife rules.

THEY say an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree – and in the case of Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter it could hardly be more appropriate.

Yesterday we revealed Apple Martin’s first photoshoot, posing with a python in an ad campaign for fashion brand Self-Portrait.

And last week saw her collaboration with her mum for a high-profile Gap shoot.

But the 21-year-old model, singer and socialite insists we should all forget the nepo baby label — because it’s all thanks to her parents “instilling a work mentality in her”.

“I should not be entitled to anything, I have to work,” she said in a recent interview.

But what Apple means by “work” is raising a few eyebrows in the world of showbiz.

Read more on Apple Martin

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Singing on records by her dad’s band Coldplay, cameos in her mum’s Netflix documentaries, and even a movie role — despite having zero acting experience — are only fuelling accusations that she could well be this year’s ultimate nepo baby, or the child whose success is seen as resulting from their parents’ connections.

A showbiz insider said: “Apple has all the qualities to be the new It girl.

“She’s got girl-next-door looks and has a sweet and innocent demeanour, but deep down she has a wild side.

“She’s sure to ruffle a few feathers as she makes her way in the modeling world.

“And whether she likes it or not, she’s definitely one of the nepos to watch.”

But showing she is not afraid to hit back at the naysayers, the fiery model said: “I constantly remind myself how grateful I am to have these opportunities. I know this is not a normal way to grow up, by any means.

“But my parents did a really good job of instilling in me that I shouldn’t be entitled to anything.”

Apple claims she always wanted to be a model, recalling how she “did run runway walks” in her bedroom while dressed for school, practising her version of Ben Stiller’s Blue Steel pose from the film Zoolander.

She said: “I’ve always been obsessed with fashion. I remember when my mum would do fittings for photoshoots when I was younger, I’d love to just hang out while she was getting her make-up done on set.”

My parents did a really good job of instilling in me that I shouldn’t be entitled to anything

Apple Martin

Given that dad Chris is the super-clean frontman of the world’s most inoffensive band, Apple’s personality — as well as her looks — is perhaps more aligned with her Hollywood-star mum, who knows all too well about divisive images.

Gwyneth — herself the nepo baby of film director Bruce Paltrow and actress Blythe Danner — was a self-confessed party girl in the Nineties and famously bragged about loving the buzz of “doing cocaine and not getting caught” during her twenties in New York.

It’s yet to be seen how Apple gets her kicks on a night out, but her parties have certainly gained quite a reputation after police were forced to shut down one particularly raucous bash in 2022 with 50 of her pals at Gwyneth’s estate in the Hamptons — the affluent seaside resort on New York’s Long Island.

Mum was out of town at the time but according to neighbours, the revellers were “partying like rock stars” and made so much noise, angry locals had no choice but to call the cops.

Apple reportedly ended up receiving a fine for hosting a gathering without a permit. Her parents have a combined worth of £320million, so it’s unlikely she would have struggled to pay it.

Apple, who was born in London, was educated in California, attending the £30,000-a-year Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, where she graduated in 2022.

She is now studying English and history at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Her taste for fashion has been evident since she got a job in a clothes shop aged 15.

I don’t think we need another celebrity child in the world

Apple Martin

She attended her first runway show in 2023, sitting front row at the Chanel Haute Couture show in Paris, and said afterwards she was developing her own style, a mix of “classic ’90s and cool grandpa”.

Apart from brief appearances in her mum’s Netflix shows and Instagram pictures, as well as singing on Coldplay songs — including 2021 single Higher Power — Apple has only entered the limelight in the last few years, when signs of her personality have begun to shine through.

In April this year she gave a bolshy take on growing up in the public eye for high-end fashion mag Interview — where she worked as an intern — in which she admitted she used to be “anxious about making mistakes”.

She added that she had been put off showbiz because “I don’t think we need another celebrity child in the world.”

She continued: “I just try to do what feels right and block out anything regarding me in the news to the best of my ability.

“And I’m getting a lot better at being like, ‘F*** it’. I’m not going to be scared. I just want to do what seems fun and figure my life out.”

But Apple’s steely approach was put to the test last year when she made her debut at the high-society Le Bal des Débutantes — a modern version of the old debutante ball — in Paris.

The bash at the $1,000-a-night Hotel Shangri-La was supposed to signal her arrival, in a stunning Valentino gown, as a new Hollywood power player.

But instead Apple suffered an online backlash after she was accused of deliberately photobombing a fellow guest and forcing her out of the frame, then pouting and posing for several photos.

After the footage went viral, social media users branded her “obnoxious”, “entitled” and “giving Regina George” — a reference to the notorious queen bee in the 2004 movie Mean Girls.

But rather than give a mature response, Apple instead poked fun at the situation, posting a video on TikTok with a pal jokingly stating that they are both “a delight” and “very funny” — which only served to earn her the nickname “Rotten Apple”.

Gwyneth was also at the ball with ex-husband Chris and Apple’s 19-year-old brother Moses, who is the lead singer in up-and-coming band Dancer.

She has previously admitted that despite Apple’s recent claims that her parents don’t want her to be “entitled”, there is little doubt that she is — but Gwyneth sees it as positive.

Talking about Apple and her pals, she said: “They have, and I mean this word in the best possible way, a sense of entitlement that’s beautiful.

“It’s not spoiled . . .  I find it very uplifting and heartening that we all seem to be going in this direction together.”

Even so, Gwyneth knows Apple’s spiky side too, having received a ticking off from her for posting a snap of her on Instagram when she was 14.

Apple commented under Gwyneth’s post, ranting: “Mom we have discussed this. You may not post anything without my consent.”

Sassy response

She later deleted the remark after her mum replied: “You can’t even see your face.”

Apple also gave a sassy response when her mum posted a picture of herself making breakfast while topless, writing: “Did I steal your shirt by accident”.

And she also ripped into Gwyneth’s morning routine while trolling the TikTok account of her lifestyle brand Goop, saying: “She eats nothing except for dates and almond butter,” adding that Gwyneth had been on a cleanse “since the day I was born, apparently”.

But when asked how she stays grounded, Apple said: “Hanging out with my friends and trying to have a normal college experience makes me feel more normal.

“That’s how I like to unwind. We’ll sit down and do little guitar playing sessions, one person will play and the others will sing.

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“I also love watching reality TV with my friends. There was one day we spent five hours on the couch and just watched old episodes of America’s Next Top Model.”

Normal? Or nepo? You decide.

More than two decades after their peak, the music of Yellowcard is a pop punk message in a bottle. The note that washed ashore from a simpler time describes the image of a young, sharply-dressed band full of aspirations, thrashing on their instruments — violin included — in the echoey tomb of an underground parking garage in the music video for “Ocean Avenue” as the chorus kicks into overdrive.

“If I could find you now, things would get better, we could leave this town and run forever, let your waves crash down on me and take me away,” frontman Ryan Key sang ecstatically at the top of his lungs.

That hit song, the title track of 2003’s “Ocean Avenue,” created a tidal wave of success that changed the course of their career from struggling artists to a world-touring headliner and darlings of MTV’s Total Request Live.

“The first time it happened, we were really young,” Key said, gingerly grasping a spoon with his heavily tattooed hand while stirring a cup of hot tea. “We were quite literally a garage band one minute, and then we were playing on the MTV Video Music Awards and David Letterman and whatever else the next minute.”

It’s a moment that hasn’t escaped his memory 22 years later. Now, he and his bandmates — violinist Sean Mackin, bassist Josh Portman and guitarist Ryan Mendez — are far from the ocean but not too far from water as they look out at a sparkling pool from the window from a suite at the Yaamava’ Resort and Casino in Highland. A couple hours from now, the band will play a splashy pool party gig for 98.7 ALT FM. The set will include a raft of all the old hits, including “Ocean Avenue” of course, as well as their first new songs in almost a decade.

Before the release of the first singles for the new album, “Better Days,” it might’ve been easy to write off their 11th album as another release destined to be overshadowed by their early catalog. However, with the right amount of internal inspiration and outside help from Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker, who produced and played all the drums on the album, the result was a batch of new songs that haven’t simply been washed out to sea. Quite the opposite, actually.

Prior to the album’s release, the title track “Better Days” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. This achievement came after a 22-year wait since their first appearance on the chart with the “Ocean Avenue” single “Way Away.” Key also notes that it’s the first time fans are using the band’s new music for their TikTok videos instead of “Ocean Avenue.”

“That’s crazy,” Key said. “Everyone is using ‘Better Days.’ I don’t think we’re alone in that. I think for bands in our scene, new music is getting a lot of love and a lot of attention again, and it’s amazing to see.”

It’s been about three years since the band reemerged to play a reunion set at RiotFest in Chicago, following their 2017 farewell show at the House of Blues in Anaheim. At the point they were ready to call it quits, the band was struggling to sell enough tickets to their shows to keep the dream alive. For Mackin, fatherhood forced him to also consider his family’s financial stability, prompting him to enter the corporate workforce as a sales rep and eventually becoming a service director for Toyota. At one point, he was responsible for managing 120 employees. “I just thought that was going to be what I was going to do to take care of my family for the next 20 years,” Mackin said.

After Yellowcard’s hiatus, Key continued playing music in several projects that distanced themselves from the pop punk sound — including recording solo work under his full name William Ryan Key, touring with bassist Portman at his side. Key also produced a post-rock electronic-heavy project called Jedha with Mendez, and the pair also does a lot of TV and film scoring work. For a long time, Key and his bandmates mourned the loss of what they had with Yellowcard. It was the most important thing in Key’s life, though he said he didn’t realize how much the band truly shaped him until it was over.

During their hiatus, band members took day jobs. One member managed 120 Toyota employees before the 2022 Riot Fest reunion reignited their passion.

(Joe Brady)

“Ungrateful is not the word to use about how I felt back then. It’s more like I didn’t have the tools to appreciate it, to feel gratitude and really let things happen and and stay in the moment and stay focused. Because I was so young, I was so insecure about my place, my role in all of it,” Key said.

But after some time away, the raucous 2022 Riot Fest reunion show relit the band’s fire in a way they hadn’t expected. They followed up with a 2023 EP “Childhood Eyes” that pushed the band to take things further with a new full album. Along with these plans came the stunning news that Barker would sign on to produce and play drums for them on the project. For a band that grew up idolizing Blink 182 and Barker specifically as the band’s red-hot engine behind the kit who spent the last 20 years evolving into a music mogul, it was a surreal experience.

“We look at him like a general. It was never lost that the best drummer of our generation is playing drums with us,” Mackin said. “We know him as Travis now, but man, this guy is just oozing talent — he’s doing all these amazing things and he doesn’t seem overrun by it, not distracted one bit. While we were recording, he was right there with us.”

Key says he was initially intimidated singing in front of Barker in the studio and had a few moments where negative, self-conscious thoughts were getting the better of him in the vocal booth during recording. Instead of getting annoyed, he says Barker helped ease his anxiety with a few simple words.

“Travis came into the booth, closed the door, put his hand on my shoulder, and he said, ‘You’re gonna do this as many times as you need to do it. I’m gonna be here the whole time.’” Barker was truly speaking from experience. He told Key at the time that he’d just recorded 87 rough takes of his parts on “Lonely Road,” his hit song with Jelly Roll and MGK. “That was a real crossroads for me,” Key said.

The aspect of the album that feels most akin to “Ocean Avenue” was that Barker never really allowed them to overthink anything when it came to songwriting, a skill the band had unwittingly mastered as kids back in the “Ocean Avenue” days by writing songs on the fly in the studio with little time to care about how a song might end up before they recorded it.

“There’s something about the way we did this record with Travis, where we would walk in and did it in a way we haven’t done in 20 plus years with him saying ‘We’re gonna write and record a song today,’” Key said. “ It was a return to that style of songwriting where you have to kind of get out of your comfort zone and just throw and go.”

The final product moves swiftly over 10 songs, the track list starts with a flurry of energy from the bombastic opening drums of “Better Days” that propel a song on inner reflection on the past. It moves on to the high-energy heartbreak of “Love Letters,” featuring Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio. Avril Lavigne lends her soaring vocals to the unrequited love song “You Broke Me Too.” Songs like “City of Angels” and “Bedroom Posters” track episodes in Key’s life where his band’s hiatus took a negative toll on his outlook on life but also about looking for a way back to rediscovering himself. The album wraps with the acoustic lullaby “Big Blue Eyes,” which Keys wrote as a tribute to his son.

Though the songs on “Better Days” frequently wrestle with self-doubt and uncertainty, the response from fans has been surprisingly supportive, Key said.

“I cannot recall seeing this level of overwhelming positive feedback. People are just flipping out over these songs,” the frontman said. “The recording was such a whirlwind. When I listen to it, it’s still kind of like ‘When did I write that song?’ It happened so fast, and we made the record so fast, but I’m glad we just did it.” Despite the success, Key is hesitant to label the band comeback kids, “probably because we are officially passed kids label,” he said.

“Maybe it’s the return of the gentlemen?” Mackin joked.

Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker produced the album, helping the band recapture the spontaneous energy that defined their 2003 breakthrough “Ocean Avenue.”

(Joe Brady)

Whatever they call themselves, coming back to the band after so many years of different experiences has made Yellowcard’s second shot at a career feel all the more rewarding.

“Because you feel like you know you’re capable of something other than being in this band, capable of connecting with your family in a way that you couldn’t when you were on the road all the time,” Mackin said. “There’s things that happened in that break that set us up for success as human beings, not just as creative people.”

For Key, it’s about taking all the lessons they’ve learned as a band and applying them to their future, realizing that the album’s title refers not just to the past behind them, but what lies ahead.

“This record needed to be the ultimate revival, the ultimate redemption song for our band,” Key said. “And so far it’s, it’s proven to be that.”

WITH temperatures falling and nights drawing in, it’s offically hot chocolate season.

That means it’s time for me to pull my Salter Chocolatier from the back of the cupboard.

Even at full whack, it’s less than a quarter of the price of the famous Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser, and Amazon has just discounted it for Prime Day, meaning that it’s now just £28.24, down from £34.99.

Read on for my full Salter Chocolatier review.

Salter Chocolatier Electric Hot Chocolate Maker, £34.99 £28.24 from Amazon

I spend a lot of time outdoors walking my dogs and in winter that’s often a freezing few hours in the mud, snow and rain.

Once home, a hot drink is essential and while I doubt my kitchen could create that country-inn atmosphere, I was intrigued to find out if the machine could create a rival to my pub-bought favourite.

I’m not a fan of instant hot chocolate so tend to swerve it as a drink option.

Thankfully, the Salter Chocolatier is a different matter entirely.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Affordable
• Handy milk frother
• Works with plant milk
• Easy to clean
• Also great for lattes and cappuccinos

Cons:

• Small capacity
• Takes a few minutes
• Sometimes chocolate isn’t fully mixed
• May not be hot enough for some

Rating: 8/10

How I tested the Salter Chocolatier

It’ll come as no surprise that my main focus during testing was how well the Salter Chocolatier makes hot chocolate, and this function is the one I used the most.

However, I also prepared other drinks with it, including cappuccino, latte and iced coffee.

I considered how easy the hot chocolate maker was to use and how easy it was to clean afterwards.

I was also interested in the quality of the instructions.

I don’t like it when manufacturers supply just a brief product leaflet with their products and then expect users to download a full manual from their website.

Who has time for that? And what about those people who don’t use the internet, such as older consumers?

Finally, I considered how the product looked – was it merely a functional item or did it look good sitting on the kitchen worktop?

Salter Chocolatier review: quick summary

This is a great product. It makes amazing hot chocolate from scratch, though it doesn’t always mix the grated chocolate as well as I would like.

The milk frother is also good, but when using the thick hot froth function I found it impossible to get all of the froth from the jug to the cup.

It’s quite stylish in a minimalist kind of way, and it’s easy to clean.

It doesn’t take long to make your drink but the downside is that it only makes one cup at a time.

Salter Chocolatier review: full review

Salter Chocolatier Electric Hot Chocolate Maker, £34.99 £28.24 from Amazon

If you have purchased this then chances are you’re a bit of a hot chocolate connoisseur, or at the very least a big fan.

The machine itself is pretty simple. There’s a jug, lid, frothing ring, heating ring and base.

It’s very much like a mini kettle. with the addition of a function button.

This button has four options:

• Thick hot froth
• Light hot froth
• Hot milk/ hot chocolate
• Cold milk froth

Unboxing and setup

The box contains the jug, lid, frothing ring, heating ring and base so it’s simple enough to set up the machine.

There’s also a quick start guide and if you want a product manual you have to download it from the Salter website (sigh!).

However, if you’re hoping for a bit more detail on using the machine, you’ll be disappointed.

The instruction manual on the website is the same as the leaflet in the box and does not provide any further information.

Still, I guess that shows how simple the Chocolatier is to use.

Design and features

2

Salter Chocolatier Electric Hot Chocolate Maker, £34.99 £28.24 from Amazon

There’s an easy-to-see level guide inside the jug for the different drinks and froths.

For example, if you’re after a light or thick froth then you need to add 115ml of milk, but if you’re making a hot chocolate then you would fill to the max 240ml level.

There’s also a minimum level and if the liquid doesn’t reach this then the chocolatier will switch itself off as a safety precaution.

The jug comes with the frother already attached inside, but if you want to clean it or swap it with the heating attachment, you can simply lift it off.

This is tiny, but lives in the lid so you’ll always be able to find it if you remember to pop it back there after use.

The design is minimalist and there’s only one button to get the hang of.

Other than that, the chocolatier sits on its base like a regular kettle.

Operation and performance

2

Salter Chocolatier Electric Hot Chocolate Maker, £34.99 £28.24 from Amazon

The inside of the jug is smooth and easy to clean, which is always a bonus.

I found that both plant and dairy milks simply rinsed off the sides and even residual chocolate shavings came off cleanly without any effort.

You can’t pop the jug in the dishwasher, but you can use hot soapy water to clean the inside if anything does stick.

I never had that problem, though, and I think as long as you stick to the functions as set out in the guide then you’ll be fine.

You don’t need to wait long for your drink either – it takes about 4.5 minutes for a hot chocolate and around two minutes for a jug of froth.

A kettle is quicker but we’re not talking instant gratification here.
It’s well worth the few minutes’ wait.

A kettle is quicker but we’re not talking instant gratification here. It’s well worth the few minutes’ wait

You need 35g of chocolate shavings per cup and you can buy these ready-grated, or as a powder from an array of retailers.

I decided to go for the real deal though and did it myself.

My favourite hot chocolate drink was made using 75% cocoa chocolate, which I grated before adding to the jug (be prepared for the grated chocolate to go everywhere!).

I’m a big white chocolate fan, but when I tried it as a drink, I found it a bit too sweet.

I also tried the Chocolatier with dairy and soya milk and both worked well, though as I don’t like dairy, my preference would always be plant milk.

For some reason I was surprised the finished hot chocolate wasn’t frothy; however, it’s not supposed to be, that’s a separate function.

You can always dress it up with a cream topping and mini marshmallows for the full pub/café effect.

It also wasn’t as hot as I expected but it was a pleasant drinking temperature, which was fine. I think some people might be disappointed it’s not warmer though.

I did experiment with the thick and light froth for coffee, but I wasn’t too impressed with the thicker option as it’s impossible to pour all the foam from the jug, resulting in a lot of waste.

There’s also a cold froth setting, which my daughter tried as she’s a big iced coffee and frappe fan.

I have never seen the point of cold coffee so avoided that one.

Salter Chocolatier review: the verdict

Wow! I loved the hot chocolate I made with this.

The texture was rich but not overly thick, while being creamy and smooth at the same time.

For me, it certainly beats standing over a saucepan of milk to make hot chocolate from scratch, or going for a cup of instant using the kettle.

I can see myself using this a lot.

Though I generally used a high-cocoa content chocolate it was perfectly sweet enough and not bitter at all.

I wasn’t so impressed with the frothing functions though, so will most likely save the machine specifically for hot chocolate.

The major downside to it is you can only make one cup of hot chocolate at a time and because it is drinking temperature when ready, the first person will have almost finished theirs in the time it takes to prepare a second cup.

Either that or one of you will be drinking it cold.

At £34.99 it’s less than half the price of the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser.

The Velvetiser wins out on looks though – this is functional, rather than pretty. However, the Salter model wins on capacity – 240ml compared to 200ml.

If you’re going to use the frother function regularly, or if you’re a big hot chocolate fan and want to invest in an automatic maker without spending a fortune, then I think the Salter Chocolatier is worth it.

Where to buy the Salter Chocolatier Electric Hot Chocolate Maker in the UK

You can buy the Salter Chocolatier Electric Hot Chocolate Maker from the Salter website.

It’s also available from:

If you’re hesitant to put $1,000 into a new trade in any of the stock market’s most popular picks right now, you’re not crazy. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is now priced at a frothy 25 times its trailing earnings, while data from Yardeni Research indicates the “Magnificent Seven” stocks that have led the market higher since 2023 sport an average forward-looking price/earnings ratio of more than 30. That’s a lot, leaving them — along with the overall market — vulnerable to weakness. Factor in the tariff wars that don’t appear to be cooling off, and it’s easy to justify staying on the sidelines.

The situation doesn’t require you to sit out altogether, though. It just means you should make a point of investing that $1,000 in growth companies with few (if any) direct ties to the United States, and stocks with more reasonable valuations relative to their potential growth.

One name worth a $1,000 investment comes to mind above all the rest.

What’s MercadoLibre?

If you’ve ever heard of MercadoLibre (MELI -3.18%), then there’s a good chance you’ve heard it called the “Amazon (AMZN -1.34%) of Latin America.” And it’s not an unfitting description. It isn’t a perfectly accurate one, though. Yes, MercadoLibre helps companies sell goods online. Unlike Amazon, though, this company also operates a major digital payments business that looks more like PayPal‘s, yet also manages a logistics arm that supports its e-commerce, provides a range of banking and bank-like services to merchants, and even helps brick-and-mortar stores handle inventory and payments. It’s a proverbial soup-to-nuts business.

And it’s growing. Last quarter’s revenue growth of 34% carried its top line to nearly $6.8 billion, accelerating long-established bigger-picture uptrends, and pumping up profits by almost as much.

Data source: Simply Wall St. Chart by author.

All of it’s just happening in Latin America, with the bulk of its business taking shape in Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina.

The thing is, this is exactly where you’d want one of your holdings to focus right now in the way MercadoLibre is positioning itself for the future.

Plugging into the continent’s connectivity revolution

Getting straight to the point, where North America’s internet connectivity industry was 20 years ago is in many ways where South America’s is now. Although the internet has existed there since its infancy, it’s only now becoming commonplace. For perspective, whereas Pew Research says 96% of U.S. adults now have access to broadband internet, Standard & Poor’s reports that less than 60% of Latin American and Caribbean households are likely to even have the option of fixed broadband service before the end of this year.

There’s a geographically unique nuance worth noting, however. That is, a wide and growing swath of the region’s population uses their smartphones as their primary — and sometimes only — point of access to the World Wide Web. GSMA Intelligence suggests Latin America’s 2023 count of 418 million mobile internet users should reach 485 million by 2030. Even then, though, there’s room for continued growth. At 485 million, that would still only be a penetration rate of 72% of the region’s population.

And just like here, it’s not taking South America’s consumers very long to figure out that their handheld devices are great tools for shopping online, and even making digital payments. Industry research outfit Payments and Commerce Market Intelligence expects the continent’s e-commerce industry to grow 21% year over year in 2025, en route to nearly doubling in size between 2023 and 2027. Simultaneously, the research outfit reports 60% of consumer spending in Latin America is now facilitated by digital and electronic payments, led by Brazil — where MercadoLibre is a force.

The company is simply riding this growth trend. Analysts expect MercadoLibre’s top line to more than double between last year and 2027, more than doubling its bottom line with it.

Just focus on the bigger picture

There is some drama. Investors keeping tabs on this company may recall that shares tumbled in early August in response to the company’s disappointing Q2 profit. Despite the strong sales growth, per-share earnings of $10.39 fell short of analysts’ estimates of $11.93, falling 1.6% from the year-ago comparison. Blame free shipping, mostly. Taking a page out of Amazon’s playbook, MercadoLibre spent more on free shipping in Brazil than investors were anticipating.

Now, just take a step back and look at the bigger picture that most investors seem to be seeing again, nudging the stock higher as a result. The free shipping strategy worked out all right for Amazon. It might work out even better for MercadoLibre in the long run, given just how fragmented the region’s e-commerce market currently is. In this vein, eMarketer says MercadoLibre’s market-leading share of the region’s e-commerce business still only accounts for about one-third of the industry’s total sales, with no other player accounting for more than 5% of the regional market’s online shopping.

In other words, there’s an opportunity for an enterprise that’s willing and able to act on it. MercadoLibre seems to be that enterprise. Current and interested investors are just going to need to be patient, as the world was with Amazon.

This might help: Despite the added expense of free shipping that’s likely to linger for a while as a means of turning consumers into regular customers, the analyst community isn’t dissuaded. The vast majority of them still rate MercadoLibre stock as a strong buy, maintaining a consensus target of $2,920.91, which is 17% above the ticker’s present price. That’s not a bad tailwind to start out a new trade with if you have $1,000 available to invest.

NOW that autumn has officially arrived, there’s no better time to give your home a refresh.

While the new season brings comfort and cosy vibes, not everyone enjoys the lack of sunshine and colder days.

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Which is why interior experts have revealed that now is the perfect time to add some colour back into our lives.

And it’s all about “edible” interior colours this year, with the quirky new decor style dominating trends.

Food-inspired interiors and, specifically, fruit-inspired paint colours are in high demand in 2025, experts have said.

A new study by pros at The Paint Shed has revealed that over 2.4million people across the globe have been searching for it so far this year.

And the most in-demand colours range from lime and apple to cherry and wine — a palette the brand has dubbed “sugar drenching.”

Colour and paint expert Michael Rolland said searches showed that 40 per cent of the top 25 shades that people are looking for are “edible” colours.

And he has revealed the top ten most sought-after “edible” interior colours in 2025.

Green dominates the list, with four of the top five spots collectively attracting over 1.2 million searches.

At the top of the list is Lime, which is a bright and bold colour, followed by the slightly softer but warmer Apple and then the earthy, calming tones of Olive.

Chocolate makes a surprising appearance at number four in the list, with its deep richness impressing homeowners this autumn.

Another green colour rounds out the top five, adding a touch of tranquillity, freshness, and optimism to the home.

Classic fruit colour Peach comes in sixth on the list, with many drawn to its soft and delicate, yet light and cheerful tones.

Lemon follows close behind, injecting some energy and brightness into the home, and then Salmon for its cosy, welcoming finish.

Duck Egg Blue is ninth on the list with the soft, muted tone that offers a versatile, calming, and fresh aesthetic.

While Mocha rounds out the top ten, with homeowners drawn to it for creating a relaxing, intimate, and cosy atmosphere.

Other Beverage tones, such as red wine and espresso, also proved popular, totalling over 152,000 searches.

PERFECT PAIRINGS

FOR those keen to incorporate these colours into their home, Michael has shared his top tips on styling these tasty tones. He says:

Lime Paint – “Lime is bright, bold and a little avant-garde, perfect for accents. Pair with emerald or neutrals so its zest doesn’t overpower and wash across kitchen cabinets and feature walls.“

Apple paint – “Apple green paint is ideal for kitchens, where it brings warmth and freshness. It pairs beautifully with warm wood tones and toasted neutrals.”

Olive paint – “Olive green paint works well in smaller spaces such as bathrooms, cosy bedrooms or studies. It complements natural textures and suits both colour drenching and single accent walls.“

And psychotherapist Amy Thomas-Owen said our growing obsession with dessert-based paint palettes is deeply rooted in psychology.

She explained that more and more people are being pulled to this because food is associated with offering safety and comfort.

And this, in turn, is exactly the feeling we want to have when we enter our homes.

Amy said: “In the wake of ongoing uncertainty, from cost-of-living stress to digital overwhelm, people are understandably turning to their homes for a sense of emotional safety and comfort.

“Food-based tones tap into this need by evoking positive emotions and memories, and help to create spaces that feel soothing, tactile and emotionally safe.”

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Investors like to buy shares in businesses that have lots of potential when it comes to increasing their revenue or earnings power. The hope is that as these companies achieve more success by gaining more customers and building their competitive advantages, the returns will follow. Of course, this strategy requires patience, as well as the ability to spot winners.

There’s a potential investment opportunity that fits this criterion, and it’s hiding in plain sight. Here’s the ultimate growth stock to buy with $1,000 right now.

Image source: Getty Images.

Leading the e-commerce market

It’s difficult for investors to find many dominant businesses like Amazon (AMZN -1.16%). The company has ridden the advent of the internet to disrupt various markets, most notably online shopping. According to Statista, 37.6% of all spending online in the U.S. happens on amazon.com, significantly ahead of second-place Walmart.

Amazon’s marketplace has evolved dramatically over the years, expanding what shoppers can buy. These days, Amazon Autos gives customers the ability to buy or lease Hyundai vehicles. More recently, Amazon struck a deal with Hertz that will sell the rental company’s used cars on the e-commerce site.

While not all retail will make its way online, there is still a lot of opportunity for Amazon as we look ahead. Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis shows that in the U.S., just 16.3% of all retail spending is represented by e-commerce. That share should climb over time, giving this company a durable tailwind.

Flying under the radar

Online shopping gets a lot of attention when looking at Amazon. However, there are some lesser-known areas that are showing promise.

Amazon collected $15.7 billion in revenue just from digital advertising in the second quarter (ended June 30). That number was up 22% year over year. The top line will be supported by more traffic on the marketplace and more viewing on Prime Video, for instance. This is likely a high-margin segment.

With Zoox, the business is working on autonomous driving technology. The company is involved in the healthcare industry, too, with One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy.

Amazon is a powerful force, as the business has its hands in so many high-growth areas. The company seems to constantly be positioning itself to make money from all parts of the economy in some way, shape, or form. It’s working, with Amazon sporting a monster market cap of over $2.4 trillion.

Cloud and AI

Perhaps the most exciting part of the Amazon empire is Amazon Web Services (AWS). Growth is still solid, with revenue increasing by 17% in the second quarter. But this is a profit machine; the operating margin was a stellar 32.9%. As AWS becomes a more important financial driver for the overall company, investors might think the stock is deserving of a higher valuation.

AWS gives the business a leading platform to develop its artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives. Yes, Amazon is leveraging this technology to personalize recommendations for shoppers on the online marketplace, to boost advertisers’ targeting capabilities, or with robotics in its logistics operations.

However, as a mission-critical IT partner for its customers, AWS is Amazon’s AI powerhouse. It offers a wide range of services, like Bedrock, generative AI assistant Q, and data extractor Textract, that give customers the tools needed to develop their own AI apps. Amazon is also designing and building its own chips that can power AI training and inference.

Amazon is a colossal entity. But its increasingly diversified operations provide it with multiple avenues to expand. This makes it the ultimate growth stock to buy right now with $1,000.

This was probably as close as we will ever get to having another playing captain in a Ryder Cup. In truth, the PGA of America put Bradley in an invidious position by appointing him long before his days at the top of the game are done.

As a result, it could be argued, the American team have been denied one of their top dozen golfers for the 12-man team charged with trying to win back the trophy.

Bradley’s form and playing passion ticked every one of the boxes he cited for the six players he chose as wildcard picks. “They’re all incredibly gritty players, tough players, great competitors,” the skipper said.

“They’ve all proven themselves at the highest level. And again, they’ve played basically in the bubble of the Ryder Cup for the last month and a half and performed at the highest level.”

Bradley insists their current playing standards made it easy for him to leave himself out. But if someone else was captain, Bradley would have felt aggrieved to be ignored in the way that he was by Zach Johnson two years ago.

Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay were no-brainers. They bring vital experience and strong matchplay credentials – especially Cantlay, who has a 15-6-1 record in team competitions for the United States.

Cameron Young, a New Yorker who set the Bethpage Black course record as an amateur, won his first PGA Tour title only three weeks ago. His form and background made him a natural selection.

Ben Griffin’s consistency has been stellar and as someone who gave up the game to work in an office before returning to stardom, he provides a romantic perspective that could sit well in the locker room.

Sam Burns’ putting will worry Luke Donald’s European team, but Collin Morikawa’s patchy form in 2025 perhaps makes the two-time major champion the most fortunate of the picks.

I go away a lot, and one thing that’s hard to avoid when you’re often packing and unpacking, is creased clothes.

My clothes steamer comes in handy all the time – it’s not fancy or branded, and costs just £21 on Amazon.

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BEAUTURAL Clothes Steamer, £21.99

Working in an office means needing my clothes to be crease-free, and with plenty of linen and cotton in my summer wardrobe, this can feel like a neverending cycle.

I got fed up of ironing years ago, and decided to replace my most hated chore with an easier solution.

I bought the BEAUTURAL Clothes Steamer from Amazon, in the hope that it would save me time and effort.

Performance

The handheld steamer couldn’t be easier to use – all you have to do is pull out the water tank and fill it with tap water.

Then, you just press the power button at the back and wait a few seconds for the steam to start up.

I find the easiest way to steam an item of clothing is by hanging it up on a doorway, and then I can run the steamer down it in lines, until all the creases have gone.

You don’t get the exact same finish as with an iron (clothes aren’t as crisp), however it does get the majority of wrinkles out, in more than half the time.

Not only does it do the job, but it also avoids having to lug an ironing board out of the cupboard.

Plus, my main two issues with ironing are solved – it’s near-on impossible to burn something with the steamer, and I don’t have to worry about creasing one side.

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BEAUTURAL Clothes Steamer, £21.99

For best results, I’d recommend leaving the clothes hanging up for a while after steaming, just to let any leftover creases drop out – but I do sometimes use it in a hurry too.

The steamer can also be used horizontally on flat surfaces like tablecloths and even soft furnishings.

If, like me, you’re often packing a suitcase for a staycation or holiday, the steamer is fairly compact, so you could take it with you to use when you arrive.

I’ve never encountered any leaking when using the steamer, but it is best to switch it off as soon as you stop using it, to avoid damp surfaces.

It also works better on some fabrics than others – I would avoid using it for woollen or wool-effect clothes, as they can soak up the moisture.

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BEAUTURAL Clothes Steamer, £21.99

Speaking of handy household gadgets, there are some great deals out there at the moment, including the Ninja Summer Sale, which cuts 20% off almost everything online.

Or, if you’re kitting out your kitchen, I did a Ninja Crispi review, and found the air fryer to be a great household addition for getting crispy skin on chicken and cooking up snacks.

Maura Higgins has made a surprising return to the Love Island US villa this week as she was dubbed the ‘ultimate bombshell’, admitting it ‘feels good to be back’.

Maura Higgins has said it ‘feels good to be back’ as she has re-entered the Love Island villa, but not quite in the way you’d think. The TV personality, 34, has headed across the pond to host the US version of the reality show’s spin-off, Love Island: Aftersun, once again – after conflicting schedules meant she had to bow out of the show.

The star, who rose to fame on the UK version of Love Island in 2019, made a surprise appearance at the Fiji villa this week, despite it being reported that she wouldn’t return.

Maura was hosting Aftersun earlier this year as Season 7 of the Peacock show kicked off, but mysteriously vanished from the screen as she left to film for The Traitors US. At the time, it was reported that she wouldn’t be coming back this season, with Sophie Monk – who hosts Love Island Australia – stepping in to take her place.

READ MORE: Savvy shoppers save £100 on permanent hair removal gadget plus an extra 20% off

Delivering all of the gossip from the villa and the show’s dumped islanders, Love Island legend Maura is following in the footsteps of Maya Jama, who fronts the UK main show and spin-off.

Upon her return, Maura was described as the ‘ultimate bombshell’ by host Ian Stirling, who said, “Tonight, the ultimate bombshell returns, it’s Maura Higgins, and she’s brought some All Star friends with her.”

“So happy to be back,” wrote Maura on Instagram as she arrived back to the show just 24 hours before the series’ finale, which airs this evening (Sunday 13 July).

Seemingly on a mission to crack America, Maura’s appearance on The Traitors is set to be released later this year, and comes after fellow Love Islander Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu took part in the reality show.

While filming the show, Maura rubbed She will rub shoulders with Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce’s mum Donna as well as Big Brother stars Ian Terry and Tiffany Mitchell.

Survivor’s Rob Cesternino and Yam Yam Arocho have also been named to take part alongside The Amazing Race winner Natalie Anderson.

The Bachelor’s Colton Underwood, Dancing with the Stars pro Mark Ballas, RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Monét X Change, figure skater Johnny Weir and singer Eric Nam are all on the list.

Maura has been spending an increased amount of time stateside after hitting headlines earlier this year at an afterparty for the BRIT Awards, where she was filmed kissing married McFly singer Danny Jones.

The ordeal came following Maura’s split from former TOWIE star Pete Wicks, and saw Danny go on to issue a grovelling apology to his wife, Georgia Horsley, and son, Cooper, seven. Maura is yet to speak out on the scandal.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

As we step into summer, Sykes Holiday Cottages is giving away this fantastic prize to one lucky winner who will get to splurge on a fabulous cottage holiday of their choice

Sykes Holiday Cottages is offering one lucky winner the chance to enjoy a UK staycation worth £1,000.

The giveaway comes as new research reveals that food is now a key driver behind where Brits choose to holiday. According to the holiday home agency’s latest Staycation Index report, more than a third of Brits now choose their UK holiday destinations based on food.

In a poll of 2,000 UK adults commissioned for the report, one in five also said that the meals they eat on holiday significantly impact how much they enjoy the overall trip. The research revealed the top 10 foodie towns Brits most want to visit in 2025, with Cornwall dominating the list. The Cornish town of St Ives took first place, closely followed by Padstow and Falmouth in third. Other popular spots named in the list include Brixham on Devon’s south coast, northern favourite Blackpool and Great Yarmouth in Norfolk.

As we head into summer we’ve got a fantastic prize up for grabs for anyone who’s dreaming of a staycation. To be in with a chance of winning a £1,000 Sykes holiday voucher, entrants simply need to provide their details using the form below. The winner will receive their voucher via email, to be redeemed against a cottage holiday of their choice. Click here if you cannot view the entry form.

Sykes research also revealed that for those seeking out food-inspired breaks, the biggest motivation was trying a local delicacy, followed by visiting a specific restaurant, and purchasing regional ingredients.

Dining experiences aren’t just shaping where people go – they’re also encouraging them to return. The report found that one in 10 travellers have rebooked a destination just to revisit a favourite restaurant, while many are willing to travel up to 70 miles for a specific culinary experience – with one in 10 prepared to travel more than 150 miles.

When it comes to eating out during their stay, traditional British pubs remain the top choice for travellers (58%), followed by independent local restaurants (52%) and fish and chip shops (51%).

James Shaw, Managing Director of Sykes Holiday Cottages, said: “Food is an essential part of the staycation experience, whether that’s indulging in fresh seafood at the coast, browsing local farmers’ markets, or seeking out a pub lunch. People are increasingly planning their holidays with their palates in mind – and that’s great for local businesses across the UK.

“We’re seeing more and more holidaymakers prioritise local experiences over abroad escapes, and with so many flavour-packed places to visit in this country, it’s no surprise that foodie travel is on the rise.”

The Index notes that almost two-thirds (63%) of Brits plan to take a UK-based holiday this year, increasing to 71% of Gen Z travellers – suggesting the younger generation is leading the charge when it comes to staycations. On average, Brits are expected to take three domestic breaks in 2025, each lasting around six days.

Spending is on the rise too, with travellers expecting to spend £1,292 on their main UK holiday – up from £1,070 in 2024 – contributing to a projected £24 billion boost to the domestic tourism economy this summer.

While average booking times have shortened to 105 days (compared with 114 in 2024), foodie hotspots like Cornwall and Cumbria are still being snapped up six months in advance, on average. Meanwhile, 24% of holidays are now booked within a month of travel, highlighting a growing trend for more spontaneous getaways.

This competition closes at 23:45 on 31st July 2025.

Mark Labbett, best known to The Chase fans as quizmaster “The Beast”, was reportedly spotted committing the faux pas during a date with a mystery woman while filming Celebs Go Dating

“The Beast” from The Chase, real name Mark Labbett, found himself in an amusing pickle on Celebs Go Dating after reportedly dozing off during a date.

Labbett, 58, well-known for his sharp intellect and straight-talking on the hit ITV quiz show, seemingly succumbed to sleepiness while the cameras captured the moment mid-date.

The latest series of Celebs Go Dating, which was filmed last month, saw an insider reveal that there wasn’t much spark between the quizzing legend and his suitor.

An anonymous tipster dished:

“Mark was yawning a lot and drifted off briefly. It was a bit of an awkward moment. It’s safe to say there wasn’t much of a spark between them.”

READ MORE: Scooter Braun reflects on Taylor Swift feud as he reveals ‘shock’ over situation

Previously weighing as much as 29 stone, Mark Labbett tied the knot with second cousin Katie in 2014 but called it quits after six years.

He then dated TV host Hayley Palmer in 2023; however, the couple split after just one year together, reports the Express.

Discussing his break up with Hayley, 43, Labbett confided in The Sun:

“She’s a lovely lady and I was very lucky to date her for a year, and as I said: it’s me, I got old.”

He continued: “There’s been no one since Hayley. I’m not saying there won’t be another one. But I’m certainly not looking.”

Delving into his love life, Labbett reminisced:

“I was single, not coincidentally, for a long, long time when I was a 29st maths teacher who knew it was quite hard to attract a partner then. So I’m quite comfortable without a partner.”

Mark’s representative quipped a witty retort when questioned about the drowsy date:

“If his date was as boring as you have suggested, I’m surprised he didn’t take a pillow with him!”.

Celebs Go Dating chose to remain tight-lipped regarding the incident.

A MAJOR car manufacturer is axing its record-breaking hot hatch just three years after its latest revamp.

The FL5-generation Honda Civic Type R is being culled in the UK and Europe from 2026 – but is set to go out with a bang.

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Forty final Ultimate Edition models with a classic Championship white paint job, and red accents, including a central pinstripe, are being made as a swansong – but is likely to cost more than the regular Type R (£48,900).

Just 10 of these special edition motors will be available in the UK – and these will be available on a first come first serve basis, according to Honda.

The news will come as a bittersweet blow to petrol heads, with the FL5 having broken countless front-wheel drive lap records during its short reign.

Honda’s European strategy boss Hannah Swift put the axing down to the industry “changing” and an evolution of its model range “in accordance with European legislation”.

Those changes relate to stricter emissions standards in Britain and the EU, with which the Type R doesn’t comply.

The four-wheel-drive hatch market comprises of the Golf R, Toyota GR Yaris and Mercedes-AMG A45 S – but all are risk due to the new regulations.

Several brands are instead moving to e-performance cars.

It comes 28 years after the first Civic Type R arrived as a grey import from Japan.

Arriving in late 1997, before a second generation model in 2001, a third in 2007 and a fourth in 2015.

Its fifth and sixth generations are widely regarded by experts as the finest driver’s cars of the modern age.

According to the Honda website, the current Type R features a two litre- four cylinder VTEC TURBO engine and can accelerate from 0-100km/hr in 5.4 seconds.

It adds: “The Type R is the fastest front wheel drive car to have driven the legendary 5.8km Suzuka circuit.”

Ms Swift said: “As we say farewell to a true icon of the Honda automobile line-up in Europe, we thought it was fitting to give the Civic Type R the ultimate send-off with this special edition model offering our customers a unique opportunity to celebrate its legacy.

“The industry is changing, and our model range is having to evolve with it in accordance with European legislation.

“However, Type R has always been Honda’s ultimate expression of our passion for driving excitement, and we look forward to celebrating its heritage in the weeks and months ahead.”

Ten things YOU should know as a car owner

To help you feel more confident as a car owner, here are ten things you should be familiar with about your vehicle:

Football experts Nedum Onuoha, Julien Laurens and Nicky Bandini build a combined Inter Milan and Paris St-Germain team before the teams meet in Saturday’s Champions League final.

Ousmane Dembele, Lautaro Martinez, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia or Marcus Thuram? The panel discuss the options available to fill the places in attack.

Watch their full selections across defence, midfield, attack and in goal on BBC iPlayer

Little and England captain Leah Williamson were two of the Gunners best players in Portugal and they jointly lifted the trophy amid the celebrations on the pitch.

For Williamson, who held the Women’s Euros trophy aloft three years ago following England’s 2-1 win over Germany at Wembley, it was a special moment at the club she has always supported.

When Arsenal won the title in 2007, a 10-year-old Williamson had been one of the mascots for the second leg match against Swedish side Umea.

“Eighteen years is a long time to wait for something,” said the now 28-year-old. “I’ve won every domestic trophy with Arsenal now so on a personal level I’m proud of that.

“We turned up to try and do a job and we did it and we’re taking the trophy home. I have a rule not to look at the scoreboard and I broke it three times.”

Barcelona, who won the competition in each of the past two seasons, put Arsenal under pressure for large parts of the final.

However, the 67th-minute introduction of Beth Mead and Blackstenius proved crucial as the England forward set up the Swede to score the winning goal.

“A lot of happy tears,” said an emotional Mead, who celebrated with her family. “I’m proud of being able to do what we did and see my dad at the end.

“It’s been a rough few years, obviously missing my mum [who passed away in January 2023] and it’s the first time I’ve had a big final without her being here. She very much was watching over me.”