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Pro-government ethnic militias in east Myanmar shift loyalty to join fighters against military rule

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:58 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Units of an ethnic militia in eastern Myanmar that is nominally part of the military have switched sides, allying themselves with the country’s pro-democracy movement, and have carried out attacks in recent weeks on army outposts and a police station, its members said. The two Border Guard Forces units in Kayah state are believed to be the first military-affiliated militia units to change sides since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.The takeover was met with peaceful nationwide protests, but after security forces cracked down with lethal force many local armed resistance groups formed and have been loosely organized into what is called the People’s Defense Force. They have allied themselves with major ethnic guerrilla groups in border regions that have carried out armed struggle for decades, seeking greater autonomy.Kayah, which is the smallest of Myanmar’s seven states and dominated by the Karenni ethnic minority,...

Stock market today: Caution on Wall Street after armed rebellion quelled in Russia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:58 GMT

TOKYO — Markets on Wall Street were slow to gain traction Monday, while global shares mostly fell after a short-lived armed rebellion in Russia added to uncertainties over the war in Ukraine. Futures for the Dow Jones industrials and the S&P 500 were flat before the bell Monday.The rebellion by mercenary soldiers who briefly took over a Russian military headquarters on an ominous march toward Moscow was over. But the brief mutiny weakened President Vladimir Putin just as his forces were facing a fierce counteroffensive in Ukraine. Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner troops were some of Russia’s most effective fighters in Ukraine. Their aborted takeover of the capital also left their fate uncertain.Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade, said such geopolitical uncertainties have set off a cautious mood.“On the back of recent hawkish central bank moves amid high inflation and low growth environments, investors are now also having to factor in the chance of escalation on the g...

Amsterdam’s Hermitage museum to be renamed after cutting ties with Russia following Ukraine invasion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:58 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An Amsterdam museum that severed ties with St. Petersburg’s Hermitage collection after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine last year has been renamed and on Monday announced partnerships with renowned galleries in London, Paris and Washington, D.C.Starting in September, the Hermitage Amsterdam will be called H’ART Museum. It has established partnerships with the British Museum, Centre Pompidou and the Smithsonian American Art Museum to bring art to the historic building on the banks of the Dutch capital’s Amstel River.“It’s an exciting new step for us, a contemporary and future-proof model,” museum director Annabelle Birnie said in a statement. She said the museum’s program will be “multi-voiced reflecting the times we live in” and will range from major art exhibitions to smaller presentations.The first major show — scheduled to open midway through 2024 — will be a partnership with Paris’ Centre Pompidou focused on Wassily K...

Home improvement lender Financeit buys rival Simply Group Financial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:58 GMT

TORONTO — Financeit Canada Inc. says it has acquired home improvement financing rival Simply Group Financial.Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.Financeit provides point-of-sale financing for the home improvement, recreational vehicle and retail markets. Financeit chief executive Michael Garrity says the deal is a milestone for the company and expands its footprint.The Toronto-based company was founded in 2011.It was acquired by InterVest Capital Partners from Goldman Sachs in 2022.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2023.The Canadian Press

How libraries became ‘the last public space’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:58 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, in the age of the internet, it’s understandable to wonder what function, if any, our libraries still serve. But the shifting needs of the communities they cater to, and widening holes in the social safety net, have actually made these institutions more essential than ever. With the surge in homelessness and mental health crises, libraries and their staff have assumed the role of de facto social workers, sometimes tasked with everything from finding shelter beds to administering naloxone.Nicholas Hune-Brown, a Toronto-based journalist who wrote about libraries for The Walrus, says libraries are known to be the last public spaces, serving as social hubs for the communities and the issues in which they are located.“It’s the last place that you can go. And just sit down without someone hustling you along or asking you to buy something. It’s like the last open door for people to be in a world that’s increasingly privatized,” say...

Porter County EMA identifies unknown odor across NW Indiana counties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:58 GMT

Due to the severity of weather over the past few days, BP's Whiting refinery experienced an operational disruption that triggered unplanned flaring of gases from their facility, the Porter County Emergency Management Agency said.Fire and police departments across Lake, Porter, and La Porte counties in Northwest Indiana were flooded with calls about a strong gas-like odor outdoors Sunday evening. 15-year-old boy dead after Little Village shooting BP Crews have been on site to manage the situation and hope for it to be resolved shortly. Other industries throughout Porter, Lake, La Porte Counties have been contacted and no other evidence of releases or spills have been found. The Indiana Department of Enviornmental Management was notified and plans to conduct follow-up evaluations.

19-year-old dies after Humboldt Park shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:58 GMT

CHICAGO — A 19-year-old man died following a shooting Sunday night in Humboldt Park.Just after 10 p.m., police responded to the 1000 block of North Pulaski on the report of a shooting.Officers at the scene located a 19-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body. He was original transported in critical condition and died at the hospital. 15-year-old boy dead after Little Village shooting No suspects are in custody.

Hajj pilgrimage starts in Saudi Arabia with 2 millions expected after lifting COVID measures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:58 GMT

MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Some 2 million Muslim pilgrims officially began the annual Hajj pilgrimage on Monday, making their way out of Mecca after circling Islam's holiest site, the Kaaba, and converging on a vast tent camp in the nearby desert for a day and night of prayer.One of the largest religious gatherings in the world has returned to full capacity this year for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic three years ago.The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all Muslims are required to make the five-day Hajj at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do it.For pilgrims, it is a deeply moving spiritual experience that absolves sins, brings them closer to God and unites the world's more than 1.8 billion Muslims. Some spend years saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the journey.The rituals during Hajj largely commemorate the Quran's accounts of Ibrahim, his son Ismail and Ismail's mothe...

9 cities where buying a home is still cheaper than renting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:58 GMT

(The Hill) -- Owning a home beats renting one in several important ways, common wisdom dictates, starting with the fact that homeowners pay down their own mortgage, rather than someone else’s. But homeownership feels out of reach to many Americans in 2023, thanks to a historic alignment of high mortgage rates and high sales prices.  Surprisingly, real estate analysts can still point to a few large cities where owning a home remains cheaper than renting.  We’re not talking about San Francisco or New York, where home ownership comes at a hefty premium. These are cities with home prices low enough, even now, that the average monthly mortgage payment is lower than the typical monthly rent in the same city.  Boomers and millennials fight for homes as housing market cools In a recent report that analyzed the 50 largest metropolitan areas, Redfin identified only four where it’s still cheaper to buy than rent.  Economists at Realtor.com did their own analysis an...

One year into pilot program, how $1K monthly checks are helping low-income Austinites

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's been more than a year since the City of Austin approved a pilot program providing $1,000 checks every month to low-income families.Since September, 135 households have been receiving this money.The guaranteed income pilot is put on by UpTogether, a national nonprofit that worked with 10 community-based partners to raise more than $500,000 of additional funds for the program.Originally, the City of Austin allocated $1.1 million of taxpayer dollars to support 85 individuals facing extreme financial hardship. The extra allocation of philanthropic funds allowed for 50 more participants.Stephanie Hendon is a mother of four and lives at an affordable housing complex in North Austin. She says her life — and luck — have been completely flipped around since her selection to participate in the guaranteed income pilot program.Prior to the program, Hendon was living paycheck to paycheck."We ran out of money," she said. "We were homeless or half homeless, half living in a sh...